Hocus Pocus, Adele Polkiss
by Ecmm
Summary: HPxOC. Runs along with the original storyline. Adele Polkiss is the younger sister of Piers Polkiss, a close friend of Dudley Dursley. This way she meets Harry Potter, a curious boy with a mysterious past, and a wonderful secret... Magic! COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change." - Wikipedia

* * *

Adele Polkiss crouched under the Dursley's agapanthus listening to the dragging footsteps draw nearer. Her hand tugged at the thin, hand-plated cord in anticipation. Past the thick leaves she could see the rope trailing across the footpath, tied to the telephone pole with a thick knot. She shuffled further into the bushes, hoping the wool she had chosen would camouflage well enough.

She waited until the exact right moment – and she'd had plenty of practice finding it – before yanking the rope as hard as she could, leaning back as to give it the strength of her full weight. There was a sharp pull that almost wrenched it out of her hands and then a soft thud punctuated with a gasp of surprise.

Adele stood, emerging from the agapanthus with an expression of glee. Harry Potter lay sprawled on the pavement before her, hastily rubbing the bruises that were already appearing on his knees.

'You again!' he groaned, frowning. Adele couldn't contain the sense of pride. Over and over again, Harry fell for the same trick.

'You should start watching where you're walking,' she announced, bending down to untie the rope from the telephone pole. 'I've gotten you at least four times.'

Harry glared at her. Though he was almost eleven, he was not much taller than seven-year-old Adele. Of course, this came as no surprise to anyone as Harry was the scrawniest boy of almost-eleven they had ever seen. With a pale, thin face, lurid green eyes hidden behind glasses and an explosion of black hair; people had a hard time believing that he was related to the Dursleys at all.

As it was, Harry Potter was _not_ related to the Dursleys. His aunt, Petunia Dursley née Evans, was the sister of his mother Lily Potter who had died when Harry was a baby. Harry had been told all his life that both his parents had died in that same crash and only he had survived, a lightning-bolt scar etched into his forehead as a permanent reminder.

Adele eyed the scar. She knew all of this, and found it exciting. She wished _her_ mother, father and brother had been killed in a car crash, too. Not because she wanted them dead – though there were times when her brother Piers brought her close to it – but because being an orphan seemed like such a ridiculously _exciting_ thing to be.

'Is Piers here, then?' Harry asked, subconsciously crouching next to Adele in an attempt to hide. Adele nodded, grinning.

'They're making a mud pie in the back yard. Piers says they're going to put it in your bed. Say, Harry, do you _really_ live in a cupboard?'

Harry scowled at her wide-eyed curiosity. 'Because Piers says you do,' she continued. 'And he says that every morning, Dudley comes down the stairs as loudly as he can. Which,' she added in a whisper, 'is probably very loud.' She paused for a moment, watching Harry's mouth for a smile that didn't come. 'So is it true?' she finished eventually.

'Yes,' Harry said shortly.

'Can I see it?'

'No.'

Adele scowled. 'Why not? I'd let you see my room.'

'I don't _want _to see your room,' Harry retorted. 'I want you to go away.'

'I'm going to see anyway,' Adele announced, clutching her coiled rope in her hands and standing. She turned on her heel and marched towards the house.

'I said no!' Harry cried, racing after her. He grabbed her arm as she tried to run away.

'Let me go!' she snapped, hitting him with a clenched fist. Harry wrestled her to the ground easily, sitting on her chest. Eleven years experience with Dudley had taught him as much, and though small he had a certain hidden strength about him.

'You're hurting me!' Adele whined, wriggling. 'Get off! _Harry_! Oh – MUM!'

Harry leapt off her and bolted across the front lawn and down the street as his aunt Petunia Durlsey and Mrs. Polkiss hurried out the front door.

Through her tears Adele told them how Harry had wrestled her and sat on her – rather heavily, she insisted – and Aunt Petunia remarked on how he had grown to be such a vile boy and Mrs. Polkiss agreed, wondering at how Harry could have turned out so wrong when Dudley had turned out so right.

At that moment, Dudley and Piers appeared, curious as to what the racket was all about. When Mrs. Polkiss told them, Dudley promised – "like a guardian angel!" Petunia would say later – that the next time he saw Harry he'd set him straight.

***

And no doubt Dudley kept his word and 'set Harry straight', for Harry would often appear with bruises and torn clothing, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon would tell him off for being a nuisance, before praising Dudley on how pristine he had kept himself (while beating up Harry).

The next time Adele saw Harry was when they were dropping Piers at the Durlsey's for Dudley's birthday. The little girl had tagged along with her mother as she often did.

Adele Polkiss was a particular favourite of Aunt Petunia's. Having no daughter of her own, Petunia often found herself doting on Adele. The girl was slight with a pointed face, though not so scrawny and rat-like as her brother, but a certain black-haired boy might argue against that. Aunt Petunia thought that, next to Dudley, Adele was the most angelic creature on Earth.

So when, as Petunia was telling Mrs. Polkiss that they had to take 'the boy' to the zoo with them, Adele expressed a desire to see the giraffes, she was more than happy to squeeze the girl into their car along with the three boys, Vernon and herself. When Harry found himself wedged between her and Dudley though, he began to wish Mrs. Figg had never broken her leg. Even cats and cabbage-smells was more agreeable than _her_.

Adele, however, chose to make the day as special as possible and vowed not to pull _any_ pranks on Harry. This was, after all, their first ever play-date together, and she wanted it to be perfect.

Ever since forever Adele had wanted to be friends with Harry, in a peculiar way. She still enjoyed picking on him, and she loved watching him walk into Piers' and Dudley's pranks, but she was quite enthralled by his scar, his glasses, even his cupboard. After she'd learnt of the cupboard, she had begged her mother for weeks to allow her to sleep in _their_ cupboard under the stairs. Mrs. Polkiss had repeatedly said no, however, reminding Adele that the dust would only aggravate her asthma.

As Dudley took them from exhibit to exhibit, and Harry pointed out a rather clever comparison between Dudley and a gorilla, Adele made sure to stick by Harry's side and to concentrate very hard on not tripping him over or making fun of him, though it was _absurdly_ difficult.

After the giraffes – as Adele had insisted they see them – Dudley demanded it was time to see the reptiles. So off they marched towards the snakes, Adele suddenly sticking very close to Harry's side.

It was cool and dark inside the reptile house. Adele flinched away from the sudden movement of a lizard in its little glass enclosure. Still, she followed Harry in bravely, walking so close that their feet kept getting tangled.

'What are you doing?' Harry snapped, after he had almost tripped over Adele's feet for the third time. She scowled at him, clutching a handful of his sleeve

'Get off me!' Harry hissed. 'Let go of – hang on, you aren't _afraid_, are you?' his disbelieving expression hurt Adele more than the accusation and she immediately released her grip on his sleeve, aiming a sharp kick at his knee.

'Of course not!' she cried shrilly. 'Don't be stupid!' And so she finally moved away from Harry, taking care to stay away from any of the exhibits.

From where she stood, she could still see Harry, wandering about the reptile house and looking in all the windows.

Dudley was kicking up a fuss in front of the Boa Constrictor, demanding this his father wake it up. Adele could see the telltale signs of a tantrum blossoming behind the boy's round pink face. Sometimes she wondered where Mrs. Dursley got the idea that Dudley was an angel.

Harry had approached the snake now, and Adele watched as he began to speak to it in hushed tones. Adele's gaze flicked from Harry to the snake and to her surprise, she found that it had partially uncoiled itself, moving instead to look at Harry.

And _nodding_.

She stepped forward, almost feeling like she was in a dream. Was Harry _talking_ to the snake? Of course he was, she could see that, but how on Earth did the snake understand him? How had he gotten it to move like that? The mystery that surrounded him was maddening, Adele couldn't believe that her life could be so _boring_.

She was almost knocked over as her brother, rat-faced Piers walked into her. 'Watch it,' he snapped before glancing behind him to see what she was looking at.

Before she could even move, he was running towards Harry and the snake, bellowing. 'DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T _BELIEVE_ WHAT IT'S DOING!'

Adele watched as Dudley punched Harry aside. She saw his hurt look, and the flash of anger. And the next thing she knew, Piers and Dudley were screaming and the snake was gone.

Not quite gone, in fact, but no longer in its enclosure. Adele watched in absolute horror as it slithered towards her. Before it could reach her, however, she let out a piercing scream and leapt over its fat, brown body, running to where Harry was picking himself up off the floor. Flinging herself at him she continued to scream for a few moments, clinging to his baggy grey shirt as if her life depended on it.

Later in the car Piers and Dudley fervently recounted the snake's escape in ever changing details, from the size of the snake to its actions, to even go so far as to suggest that it had made off with a small child clenched in its jaws. Piers even calmed down long enough to claim that Harry was talking to it. Aunt Petunia, already pale and thin-lipped, seemed suddenly almost transparent, while Uncle Vernon turned a bruised plum colour. Adele glanced at Harry beside her as he sat, eyes fixed on the world outside the window. His expression was stony, his mouth set in a hard line. She wondered what he was thinking behind his green eyes.

***

For the next few weeks Adele kept her ear pressed to doors, waiting for any sign of Harry. After the zoo incident she heard her brother, mother and father retell the adventure (which was getting even more ridiculous by the second) to countless others, always mentioning that it seemed 'the boy' had been involved.

And then Harry dropped off the spectrum altogether, as the mothers had something new to gossip about. It appeared that Mr. Dursley had had some sort of mental breakdown, had begun nailing up the doors and windows and such, before finally uprooting the entire family and disappearing.

They were gone for three days before Piers finally received word from his friend. Dudley had appeared at the door one day, looking ashen and sick. He and Piers had retreated to Piers' bedroom to talk, shutting Adele out firmly.

Wondering what on earth could have upset Dudley so much, and curious to see if Harry had shared a part in it, Adele decided to go over and visit. Usually she didn't dare set foot in the house without her mother or her brother, but she knew that Petunia wouldn't mind seeing her, and that perhaps it would be a good chance to get Harry alone. Besides, the house was only a few blocks away, and with her mother engrossed in the planning of a Tupperware party, she didn't believe she would be missed.

And so, trying to tie bows in her laces (and only succeeding in making impossible knots) Adele donned her yellow hat and stepped out the front door, closing it quietly behind her. The summer had been a warm one, though not out of the usual, and she was increasingly looking forward to their cool, England weather again.

Harry was not out in the garden, as she had hoped, nor was he in the nearby park. Adele was left with the only option of knocking on the door. She hesitated, though, recalling the stories of Uncle Vernon's mysterious breakdown. Her mummy had said it meant he just found everything too hard, like a maths problem, and it made him go a tad peculiar. Adele wasn't sure exactly how much a tad was, but she knocked on the door anyway, putting her brave face on.

A drawn and tired Aunt Petunia opened the door, immediately brightening when she saw Adelle. 'Hello, dear,' she said, glancing over her shoulder. 'Are you looking for your brother?'

'Oh, no, I know where he is,' Adele replied smiling. 'I came to see you.'

Petunia beamed, glancing over her shoulder again. Adele realized that the sound she had thought was traffic was actually the low rumble of Mr. Dursley's snores.

'Vernon's having a bit of a lie down,' Aunt Petunia explained, 'but you're welcome to come in for a glass of milk, if you'd like.'

'Oh, yes please,' Adele said, following Petunia into the house.

Climbing onto a stool by the bench, Adele patiently listened to the woman talking about Dudley, and how he was looking forward to starting at his new school. 'He's taken to carrying his stick about with him everywhere, and the uniform makes him look so charming,' Petunia gushed. Adele's stomach turned at the mention of Dudley and 'charming' in the same sentence.

Okay. The plan had worked so far to get _into_ the house, but she had no idea how to get to Harry. Through the kitchen door she could see the bottom of the stairs. Harry's cupboard was barely a few steps away. She could make it if she sprinted, but then there was the question of how to explain herself to Petunia.

As luck would have it, however, it was just then that Mr. Dursley woke up. He called down the stairs for Petunia, his voice groggy.

'I'm coming, dear,' Petunia answered, giving Adele an apologetic glance. 'I'll just go see what he's up to.'

Adele continued sipping her milk, listening to Petunia climb the stairs. As soon as she heard their bedroom door open, she leapt up, tiptoeing into the passage.

There, in the side of the stairs, was the doorway. She approached it and knocked smartly three times. When no one answered, she tried calling.

'Harry? It's Adele. I'm coming in, even if you don't want me to see your room.'

'What are _you_ doing here?'

Adele jumped at the voice which came from above. Jerking away from the door and looking to the top of the stairs, she found Harry leaning on the banister scowling at her.

'What are you doing up _there_?' she exclaimed.

'I was in my room, but came to get some water,' was all Harry said, continuing down the stairs. Adele followed him into the kitchen, clambering back onto her stool. Harry eyed her glass of milk apprehensively as he filled his with water.

'You can have some, if you'd like,' Adele offered suddenly. Harry glanced at the stairs, where you could hear the rumble of voices, and then at the glass in Adele's outstretched hand. There was perhaps only a mouthful left, but a mouthful was still a lot to a boy who didn't have much.

'Thank you,' he said gracefully, reaching for the cup. Before he could touch it though, Adele snatched it away, swigging the last few drops.

'Hey!' Harry cried, before quickly hushing his voice, eyes flicking back to the stairs. 'You said that..!'

'Your mum poured it for _me_,' Adele teased sticking out her tongue. Harry's face darkened.

'She's not my mum!' he retorted angrily. Adele brightened, they'd hit on something she wanted to talk about.

'What was her name, your mother?' she asked, swinging her legs lazily. Harry was still visibly fuming, but he answered anyway.

'Her name was Lily,' he muttered. 'I think. Lily Potter.'

'And what about your dad?'

'James. Like my middle name.'

'Lily and James,' Adele murmured dreamily. 'That's much better than my parent's names. Harold and Viviette.'

'At least your parents are alive,' Harry said turning away. The mood immediately turned sombre.

'How come you weren't in your cupboard?' Adele asked in an attempt to change the subject. This time Harry's thin face formed a smile, lighting up his green eyes.

'I've got Dudley's old room, now,' he gloated. 'The one with all his broken toys in it.'

'How come?' Adele gasped. 'Why?'

Harry glanced to the stairs, and then to the front door. 'I'm not supposed to talk about it,' he said quietly.

Sensing (yet another!) mystery to be solved, Adele pressed harder. 'Is it to do with your uncle's nervous breakdown?' she whispered. 'My mother said he'd gone crazy, and had dropped off the face of the Earth.'

Harry again glanced at the stairs. 'Alright. I'll tell you. But you have to keep it a secret. You can't tell _anyone_, especially not my aunt, or your mum, or your brother.'

'Can I tell my friends?'

'No.'

'Can I tell Dudley?'

'_No_. It's a secret.'

'Oh.'

'Come on then,' Harry said suddenly. 'Not in the house, they might hear.'

Adele followed him out obediently, wondering what Petunia would think when she came downstairs to find two empty glasses and an empty kitchen.

***

'...You're a wizard.'

They were sitting in the nearby park, and Harry had just finished explaining the terrifying events of his past week. From the letters pouring in through windows and fireplaces, to the lonely shack out of the weather beaten rock. Even the giant, with a head of dark, shaggy hair sent a shiver down Adele's spine.

'Yes, Hagrid said I can do magic,' Harry said enthusiastically. 'It's the reason why I'm so different! It must be the reason... why my hair grows back, and why the glass disappeared...'

'And you get your letter when you turn eleven?'

Harry nodded, 'that's what Hagrid said.'

'Do you think I'll get one?' Adele found herself asking, the wistfulness in her voice unmistakable. Harry looked her over carefully.

'I don't know. Your brother didn't get one, did he? And your parents didn't go to Hogwarts either. If they did, your dad wouldn't be a bank teller.'

'Even wizards have to have banks,' Adele snapped angrily. 'And your parents weren't wizards either!'

'Yes they were!' Harry challenged. 'Hagrid said that they were killed by the meanest, most baddest wizard of all time, NOT in a car crash. And _that's_ how I got my scar, and then a man called Dumbledore left me on my aunt and uncle's doorstep and-'

'Stop it!' Adele cried suddenly, standing up. 'Don't lie!'

'I'm not-!'

'You're telling stories! Everyone knows magic doesn't exist!'

'It does too, Hagrid said-'

'Then you can go _marry_ Hagrid, even if he is a big, stupid, half-giant!'

Turning on her heel, Adele ran away as fast as she could. It wasn't _fair_. Harry got to be an orphan, Harry got to escape from his evil aunt and uncle. Harry got to be magic. Adele wanted to be magic _too_, even if she couldn't be an orphan. There was no way her father, a boring bank teller, could actually be a wizard in disguise. He was far, far too sensible.

It wasn't fair.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

ARGH. I'm sorry to those that I'd promised the chapter to months ago 3 I just got stuck trying to time-line it all, 'cause it runs in accordance with the books and that.

A little bit different to what I've written before, but I like the idea and hope you will too.

Enjoy!

Oh, the line that Piers says; 'DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T _BELIEVE_ WHAT IT'S DOING!' is taken directly from the book XD (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone). It's just such an awesome line, I had to include it.

Rest is by me.

Thanksss!


	2. Chapter 2

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change."

* * *

Whether Harry was lying about magic or not, it was true that he was going to a new school. His aunt and uncle drove him to Kings Cross the very next day, so Adele did not see him again that summer.

Still confused and hurt and jealous, she returned to her own schooling determined to forget. She was starting year two now, and there was a lot to be done. She was learning to tell the time, discovering her multiplication tables; she had plenty to keep her busy. Not only that, but she was making more and more friends at school.

Being a tad unfriendly at times, Adele had found it difficult to get the other children to like her. They didn't enjoy being bullied and ridiculed, and as she had learnt how to treat people from her nasty brother she didn't quite understand this. So when the new boy turned out to be just as unfriendly as she was, she was thoroughly delighted.

His name was Lysander Lore. He had dark brown hair that he kept neatly combed, and devilish dark eyes. On his first day at the school he had already been sent to the Headmistress' office to have a stern talking to. He feigned innocence, claiming he didn't mean to slam the door on poor Donnie's hands. He denied Donnie's accusations that Lysander had held his hands there, asking 'how could I slam the door if I was holding him down?'

This was true, because Lysander _hadn't_ slammed the door. Walking into the classroom and seeing the struggle, young Adele Polkiss – unseen by everyone except Lysander – had kicked the door shut with as much force as she could muster. As she and Lysander both got off scot-free, from that moment they were best friends, spending both playlunch and lunch together. The other children were frightened of them as they quickly became the playground terrors of the younger year levels. There was even a rumour flying around that Lysander had been expelled from his old school for beating up a whole gang of sixth year children.

Despite all of these distractions, Adele still found herself thinking of – and missing – Harry Potter a whole lot. She was angry that he had never come to apologize, and upset that he had been gone for so long. Dudley had laughed when she asked for the address of his school, saying 'who would want to write a letter to _him_?' And when Adele asked if it was true he was a wizard, Dudley's pink face had abruptly drained to a pallid grey-green, and he had quickly shut the door in her face, clutching his bottom and whispering that there was no such thing as magic.

And so Adele spent her school terms picking on the other children with Lysander and thinking up new pranks to pull on Harry once he got back, and she spent her holidays waiting for him to turn up in Dudley's second bedroom. He never did, though.

Lysander agreed that Harry was a very nasty boy, but he believed that Harry was magic. It was the first fight Adele and he had, where she demanded he go home and never speak to her again. Come the next Monday though – as it had been a Saturday afternoon – they were the very best of friends all over again. And to Adele's dismay he continued to believe in magic and wizardry and all the 'nonsense' Mrs. Polkiss had discouraged in her children. But, being a little girl, Adele couldn't quench a tiny hope in herself that just _maybe_ it might be true.

As the school year was drawing to a close Adele's visits to the Dursley's became less and less frequent. Sometimes she'd go weeks without popping in, and her long list of pranks to pull on Harry had stopped growing. She and Lysander now spent their time following in Piers' and Dudley's footprints and just terrorizing as many other students as they could. She was eight now, and had decided she had outgrown the strange scarred boy. None of the Dursley's would give her any kind of a hint as to whether or not Harry was ever coming back, instead they seemed rather terrified that he would.

So Adele was completely and utterly surprised when, as she was walking home from school with Piers, she spied a familiar black-haired lad in the Dursley's front yard.

Thinking she had imagined it, she blinked and rubbed her eyes. No, he was still there, lying on his stomach on the grass, pulling weeds up with bare hands. Next to him was a small laundry hamper filled with already uprooted weeds.

Ignoring her brother, Adele set out across the road at a sprint. Galloping blindly she leapt over the agapanthus bushes and came to land beside Harry, sprawling across him and startling him.

'You again!' he cried, shoving her away. 'What are you-'

'Where have you been?' Adele interrupted crossly. 'I didn't think you'd _ever_ come back, and you never even wrote me a letter to say hello or _anything_.'

'Why would I write _you_ a letter?' Harry snapped, picking up the weeds that had been spilt. Adele resisted the urge to hit him.

'To apologize!' she almost shrieked, blue eyes flashing. Harry glanced anxiously back at the house, his stomach blanching at the tell-tale sign of Aunt Petunia peering through the blinds. He looked swiftly from the basket of weeds to Adele's furious expression, trying to decide which would cause him more harm.

In the end he decided that Adele could get him in more trouble than ditching one lousy chore. He stood up and brushed down his clothes, pushing Adele ahead of him.

'Apologize for what exactly?' he asked once they'd reached the park. Adele turned on him, ready to yell, but stopped short.

He had grown in the year he'd been away, and his face was less pallid and thin. She was struck by the new brightness in his eyes; he didn't look like the same beaten down boy he had been the last time they spoke.

'Well?' he demanded, bringing Adele back to the present. She reassembled her annoyed expression.

'You were telling stories,' she growled. 'About... about magic and the like.'

'They aren't stories,' Harry retorted angrily. 'Hogwarts is real. And this year, while I was there, I came face to face with the wizard who killed my parents, and I defeated him.'

'Oh yeah?' Adele asked sceptically. '...What happened?'

They sat on the swings together long into the afternoon as Harry told her everything that had happened in the past year. Despite herself, Adele was intrigued and – again – insanely jealous. After Harry had finished his recount of the magic and adventure, she felt it would be rather childish and silly to tell him about Lysander or about the pranks they had pulled. In fact, she felt rather ashamed, that while she had been making smaller children cry, he had been saving the world. This guilt made her angry at Harry all over again.

'Dudley said you went to a school for bad kids,' she said once he'd finished talking. 'And so did your mu- ...so did Aunt Petunia.'

'That's a cover-up story,' Harry said waving a hand to dismiss it. 'Because they don't like to talk about it. They wouldn't like people thinking they're strange because of me.'

'You _are_ strange,' Adele said haughtily. Harry chose to ignore her.

'...Tell me about your friend,' Adele said. 'Hermes...?'

'Hermione.'

'Her.'

'She's very smart,' Harry admitted, 'and she doesn't like it when Ron and I slack off – Ron's my best mate I was telling you about – erm, she's got brown hair, and at the start we didn't really like her. She was sort of nosey. But after we fought off the troll things seemed to settle down between us. Since it was our fault she was in the bathroom anyway. Though really, I suppose it was Quirrel's fault for letting the troll in.'

'And he was the one who was sharing his body with Voldemort, yeah? And he turned into dust?'

'That's him.'

Adele swung higher on her swing. 'Harry,' she ventured after a moment, 'can you show me some magic?'

'So you believe me?' he said grinning. Adele scowled.

'Maybe. If you show me magic.'

Harry's face fell. 'I'm not allowed to. We're not allowed to do magic out of school until we're seventeen. And especially not in front of...'

'In front of what?' she pressed.

'Well, especially not in front of Muggles,' he finished. 'Just in case you are a muggle, which you might not be,' he added hastily as her expression darkened.

'I don't believe you then,' she announced. 'It all sounds very made up. I had a very nice school year _too_ I'll have you know. I... I fought a troll as well,' she finished bravely. 'With my new friend.'

Harry raised his eyebrows. 'The two of you fought it off?'

'Of course. The teachers were really... pleased. Lysander's parents are vampires.'

'Vampires?'

'Technically, at least.'

At that moment Piers and Dudley strolled into view. Dudley seemed to do a double-take, seeing the two of them on the swings.

'You were right,' he said to Piers, his jeering voice floating across the playground. 'It seems the weirdo _does_ have a girlfriend.' Piers chortled, eyes flashing. Adele puffed her cheeks out in irritation, jumping off the swing and raising her fists. She might be three years younger, but Lysander had been teaching her how to fight.

'I've got it,' Harry said suddenly, laying a hand on her shoulder and turning to Dudley whose smirk widened. Harry raised his hands.

'Hocus-pocus,' he began in a stage-whisper, 'abracadabra!'

Adele watched with amusement as Dudley's face drained of all colour, taking on the greenish-white hue of a dead fish. Harry continued to advance, wriggling his fingers and repeating more "magic words". 'Jiggery pokery! Alakazam!'

'My mum wants you home,' Dudley said through gritted teeth before spinning on his heel and marching away, Piers jogging to keep up.

Harry jumped in surprise at a sudden sound, before realizing it was Adele laughing. He grinned in return as she collapsed back onto the swing.

'Did you see his face!' she gasped, tears in her eyes. 'He actually thought you were going to magic him!'

'How do you know I wasn't?' Harry teased. Adele's face fell a fraction.

'That wasn't magic,' she said decidedly. '...Was it?'

Harry shook his head. 'No. But don't tell Dudley.'

***

Lysander had gone away for the holidays, so Adele followed Harry around a lot of the time. Often he would try to sneak out of his house, only to discover that traps already lay in wait, or that she had been following him for the entire time he'd been out. An almost-friendship began between them, thought it was more of a mutual agreement between the two. Harry wasn't allowed to talk about magic to his aunt and uncle or anyone else, but Adele had sworn not to tell a soul if he would confide in her. In return, he bore her pranks and borderline stalking.

'Is Hermione your girlfriend then?' Adele asked, watching Harry mowing. He snorted.

'Of course she's not.'

'That's a rude thing to say,' Adele sneered. 'Suppose I tell her?'

'How could _you_ tell her?'

'I talk to her _all_ the time, actually.' Harry laughed bitterly.

'Do you? Well she doesn't talk to me, so that's hardly believable.'

'What do you mean?' Adele asked curiously, shifting position on the out-door chair she occupied.

Harry shrugged. 'She and Ron haven't written to me at all. And I can't write to them, 'cause Uncle Vernon's keeping Hedwig locked away.'

'Ooh, Hedwig,' Adele sighed distractedly. She had fallen in love with Harry's owl on their first meeting, and almost shocked her parents out of their skin when she demanded one.

'Is Lysander your boyfriend?' Harry asked after a moment.

'Of course he's not,' Adele answered flippantly.

'"Suppose I tell him?"' Harry mimicked. Adele rolled her eyes at him.

He finished mowing the grass and Adele let him have some of the lemon cordial Aunt Petunia had given her.

'Do you think I could come back to Hogwarts with you? To learn magic?' Adele wondered. Harry glanced around quickly to make sure his cousin wasn't spying.

'I don't think so. You have to be eleven for starters. And a wizard.'

'Or witch.'

'You're neither, anyway.' Adele stuck her tongue out.

'I could be if I wanted to. I've been practicing.' From inside her jumper, Adele drew a gnarled, crooked stick. It always made Harry laugh, because the girl had decided to paint it a lurid pink.

'Bicardium Leviosa!' she said seriously, flicking the wand, pointing it at a flower pot. It didn't budge an inch.

'See?' Harry gloated. Adele turned the wand on him, smacking him over the head.

'Of course it doesn't work yet!' she snarled. 'I'm still practicing! You'll see, when I turn eleven, I'm going to get my real wand, and I'm going to follow you to Hogwarts and continue to annoy you forever!'

With that she stalked away to a corner of the garden to continue her practice. 'Bicardium Leviosa, Bicardium Leviosa,' she muttered in varying degrees of intensity. It would be nice, she thought, if her magic would actually work. Just a little spark. Perhaps, she thought, it was because of her wand. It didn't have a core of phoenix feather, after all, or unicorn hair, or dragon heartstring. She sighed, how wonderful it would be to have a pet unicorn.

She started as Harry came up behind her. He reached over her shoulder and repositioned her hand on the wand before putting his over it.

'You have to flick it a bit. Like this,' he said, his breath on her ear making her squirm and giggle. 'Don't move,' he snapped crossly. 'And it's _Wing_ardium Leviosa. Say it with me, Wingardium Leviosa – with the flick – Wingardium Leviosa...'

They were few and far between, but these nice moments when they weren't fighting were the times Adele treasured most.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Putting chapter two up a bit earlier than I meant :D This is mostly because of all the nice words that I gottt! Thank you very much!

This chapter's a bit... nothingness in my opinion, but the next one has lots of happenings.

Please enjoy c:

- Ecm


	3. Chapter 3

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change."

* * *

Three days after Adele's ninth birthday, and three days before Christmas, Lysander turned up on the Polkiss' doorstep unannounced.

Adele was in her room, writing a Christmas letter to Harry when her mother called her down. Adele recognized the annoyed tone in her voice and frantically ran her mind over all the things she had done recently that might be the cause of that tone.

Leaping off the bottom step, she did not expect to see an excited Lysander, dripping snow on the entrance hall carpet, cheeks aglow with the cold.

'What are you doing here!' she gasped. 'I thought you had gone on holiday with your parents!'

'I have important news, it couldn't wait another day so we came home early,' he announced proudly. Mrs. Polkiss threw her hands up in the air and stalked out; children said the strangest of things. She would get to the bottom of it later.

Up in her room, Lysander suggested that Adele sit down. Confused and intrigued, Adele complied, watching her dark-haired friend as he paced up and down her bedroom.

'What is the matter?' she demanded after a moment. Lysander ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

Then he closed his eyes.

Adele was about to ask again when the room suddenly when dark. There was a crack and a fizz of light, and the shattered light globe rained down on Adele's head. She screamed, but it was drowned out as the window blew open, snow and cold wind rushing in. With another slam the window was shut again, and the room became oddly still.

Sitting on her soaking bed, snow melting in her hair and shards of glass twinkling in the half light, she quickly connected the dots.

'You're a wizard too?!' she cried, finding Lysander's eyes in the dark. She saw him nod, a grin on his face.

'Yes. And, I'm going to Hogwarts next year.'

'But how?' she cried. 'We're not even ten years old yet!'

Lysander shook his head. 'No, I turned ten last week. Remember how I left school early for the holiday? Well, we went to visit my grandmother, and it was there that this strange stuff began to happen. My grandma didn't seem too surprised though, and then she told me I was a wizard!' his voice squeaked in excitement. 'Oh, I'm a year older than you because we were touring for my father's book when I should have started school.'

Adele was aghast. Quickly she tried to pull her thoughts into something discernable. 'But... your parents aren't wizards, are they?' she pressed. 'They're muggles, aren't they?'

Lysander nodded excitedly. 'Which means you could be a wizard too!' he cried. 'That's why I made Mum take me home early, so I could tell you. Because I know you've been upset about it lately,' he added by way of explanation. Adele beamed.

' Just think, _me_, a wizard! Well, witch, really.' She jumped off her bed, glass tinkling to the floor, scurrying over to her desk.

'What are you doing?' Lysander asked, leaning over her shoulder.

'Writing a letter to Harry,' she said, adding words as she spoke. Placing the pencil back on her desk she grinned and read it over quickly.

'You spelt my name wrong,' Lysander said crossly. 'And why are you writing to him anyway?'

'He's my friend,' Adele answered, quickly addressing her mistake.

'I thought _I_ was your friend!' the boy snapped. Adele scowled at him.

'People can have _two_ friends you know.'

'Well I don't want you to!'

'That's not fair! You have other friends!'

'You don't need him anymore, _I'm_ a wizard now!' Lysander roared, snatching the letter off her and scrunching it into a ball. He hurled it at the wall before kicking Adele's desk viciously and storming out of the house, slamming doors as he went.

Alone in her room once again, Adele fought back tears. Lysander was such a _bully_! After a moment, when she thought she had herself under control, she picked up her crumpled letter, spreading it out on her desk. Carefully she stacked some of her school books on it, hoping to press out the worst of the wrinkles.

It wasn't fair of him to say that. The hurt of his betrayal mixed with the jealousy she held. Why had Lysander got to be a wizard? It wasn't fair, Adele had wanted to be one longer. Maybe it was because Lysander had believed in it from the start. Adele felt tears on her face and shook her head angrily.

It didn't matter. She snatched up her pencil again, pushing the books away and adding onto the letter another postscript.

Later in the evening, after stamping the letter and writing her return address, she suddenly realized she didn't know how to post the letter to Harry. Simply writing "Harry Potter, Hogwarts, England" wasn't going to be enough. Feeling dejected again, she put the envelope down on her desk.

There was a sudden scream from downstairs, and the sound of breaking glass. Adele wasted not a moment, leaping off her chair and down the stairs. Had Lysander come back to apologize and invoked the wrath of her mother? There was the sound of struggle in the kitchen, and Adele burst in ready to demand her mother leave her friend alone.

But in the kitchen, she did not find her mother wrestling with a boy, but rather cowering under the kitchen table, shrieking and pointing at a large, white owl that was perched on the kitchen counter. The bench was a mess, food spilt all over the floor. Adele's eyes lit up however – this was even better than Lysander apologizing, for how could she ever forget that dear little face of the creature on the bench!

'Hedwig!' she cried, skipping over and patting the owl's soft head. Hedwig nipped her finger impatiently, holding out her leg.

'_Don't_ tell me that _thing_ belongs to _you_?' Mrs. Polkiss cried, her voice laced with loathing as Adele untied a letter from the owl's leg. 'I'll not have it under my roof..!'

'No, Mum, it's just a friend's.' Adele reached over to the fruit bowl and plucked a grape, offering it to Hedwig. The owl snatched it, but seemed to have no intention of leaving.

'I only opened the window to let out some of the smoke from dinner,' Mrs. Polkiss said icily. 'I did not expect an _animal_ to burst in. Now you listen to me...'

But Adele was not listening. She was hastily tearing open the envelope, her eyes skipping over the familiar writing on the front.

Ignoring her mother, she ran upstairs with her prize, the owl following her lazily. Mrs. Polkiss eventually emerged from under the table and began to clean up the feathers and food. Her hands shook and she muttered under her breath about children and strangeness. Hopefully none of the neighbours had seen the owl fly in.

In her room, Adele flopped onto her bed, giving Hedwig another grape and stroking her, murmuring compliments. Then she turned back to the letter.

_Adele_

_I remembered it was your birthday – a little bit late I suppose – and Hermione said I should send you a letter. So Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas. Stuff is pretty hectic around here._

_Harry  
P.S. Please don't feed Hedwig any more grapes, they make her ill._

Adele passed Hedwig another grape, grinning. A Happy Birthday from Harry! Even if he was late, it didn't matter. Getting her own letter off the desk, she crossed out a line, and added yet another post script. The final letter said this:

_Dear Harry_

_I drew you a picture for Chrismass. Thank you for playing with me on the holidays.  
__From Adele_

_P.S. You forgot my birthday!!!!!! no forget that  
__P.P.S. Lysand__er__ is a wizard so maybe I will be to.__  
P.P.P.S. Next time im definitely coming with you to Hogwarts I hate it here!!!!!  
P.P.P.P.S Thank you for my letter say hello to Ron and Hermione and Merry Christmas to everyone._

She folded the letter one final time, making sure that it was small. Then she wrapped it in the drawing she had done (of her and Harry on brooms) and tied it to Hedwig's leg. After one more grape, Hedwig rustled her wings and flew off out the window Adele had opened for her.

***

Lysander never came back to school. When Adele phoned his house to find out where he was, his mother told her that Lysander had gone to live with his grandmother for the rest of the year. '...So proud to have a wizard in the family,' she gushed. 'We had no idea his father's family was full of them!'

Hurt and confused, Adele made it through the rest of the miserable year by clinging to Harry's letter. She never got anything back, but she knew that Hedwig would have returned to him safely.

Summer eventually rolled around, and Adele took to staking out the Dursley's house to wait for the day he would walk back through their door. Aunt Petunia ended up taking Mrs. Polkiss aside to talk about Petunia's worries that Adele had developed a strange liking for "that boy". When confronted, Adele had explained about the pranks and tricks she pulled on him, and the two women had decided to let the matter rest, unsure as to what to do. It sounded a frightfully strange relationship to the two of them, and they wanted as little to do with it as possible.

Adele was sitting at the kitchen table, glass of milk in hand when Harry emerged from his bedroom for breakfast. She grinned, motioning to the bowl of cereal beside her. Harry eyed the splashes of milk on the floor and table uneasily before sitting down.

'Did you get my letter?' Adele asked quickly. Harry nodded, having decided that the cornflakes looked un-fouled.

'Lysander got a letter from Hogwarts,' she went on. 'Like I said. So he disappeared, gone to learn from his grandma in preparation for next year.'

Harry grunted.

'I learnt long division at school.'

Harry turned his eyes to the new TV sitting at the end of the kitchen table.

'I hope I get my letter too,' Adele pressed. Harry nodded without looking at her. Adele kicked him, snatching the cereal bowl out of his hands.

'Hey!' he cried, finally paying her attention. Adele snatched his glasses off his nose, upending the bowl on his head and skipping out of the Durlsey's kitchen, followed by Harry's squeals of rage and surprise.

Eventually he joined her lying on the grass out the front of the house. Retrieving his glasses from her face he lay down beside her, picking cornflakes out of his hair with an expression of distaste.

After a moment he began to talk about that year. Adele listened wide-eyed as he explained about the basilisk, how Hagrid had been framed, the shock of finding Hermione frozen, Ginny's kidnap and finally another showdown with Voldemort.

'Were you afraid?' she asked, mouth agape. She'd rolled over and laid her head on Harry's stomach, and as she asked she glanced over at him. He nodded fervently.

'Of course. It's not every day you fight a dirty great snake controlled by the man who murdered your parents.'

'I wish I could fight a snake.' Adele sighed. Harry gave her a strange look.

'Well if it isn't the two love-birds!' came a sneering, stupid voice from above them.

Adele and Harry glanced up to see Dudley leering over them, blonde hair gelled flat to his round, pink head. From upside-down he looked terrifying, and Adele quickly rolled away from Harry, crouching and glaring at Dudley.

'What do you want, Dudley?' Harry asked tiredly, sitting up. Dudley sneered.

'_You're_ supposed to be getting ready for Aunt Marge,' he said. Harry's expression soured.

'Oh. Right.'

'Who's Aunt Marge?' Adele asked curiously.

'My Aunt,' Dudley said proudly. 'She's coming to stay for a week. Dad should be back any minute now, so Mum says you have to get inside. She wants to fix your hair.'

Harry grimaced but stood anyway. He waved shortly to Adele before trudging back into the house, tripping over Dudley's outstretched foot.

'Can I come to dinner, Dudley?' Adele asked as soon as he'd gone. Dudley' eyed her distastefully. 'I'll see if Piers can come?' she added.

'It's a family dinner,' Dudley said shortly, glancing from her to the house. Adele scowled and aimed a sharp kick at his ankle, before running from the yard.

'I'll see you tomorrow, Harry!' she called, ignoring Dudley's threats and swears.

***

The next day, Adele arrived at the Dursley's house to find it quite sombre. Aunt Petunia answered the door, speaking in hushed tones. She explained that Harry ("the beastly boy!") had attacked Aunt Marge at dinner the night before.

'Oh, dear!' Adele gasped. 'What an awful thing to do!' Aunt Petunia nodded, her lips thin.

'We're glad to be rid of him anyway,' she said dismissively. 'Though I think my dear Duddykins may be traumatized forever.'

'What, he's not here?' Adele asked, trying to peer around Petunia into the house, hoping in vain to see Harry standing behind her. Aunt Petunia's face twitched into something that might have resembled a smile.

'My poor little darling is resting in bed. You can come up and see him, if you'd like?'

Adele blanched. There was no way Harry was her 'poor little darling'. 'I meant Harry.'

Harry's aunt's smile fell. 'Oh, no, Vernon threw him out last night,' she scoffed. 'Ungrateful boy.'

Adele's eyes widened in alarm. 'Where did he go?' she asked quickly.

Petunia waved a hand dismissively. 'We don't know and we don't care,' she said primly. 'Hopefully he'll stay at his silly school of _freaks_.'

'Hogwarts, you mean?' Adele questioned. Aunt Petunia let out a tiny gasp of horror, stepping away from the small girl.

'He _told_ you?' she hissed, her face twisted in fury. Adele scowled and pointed a finger at Aunt Petunia's face.

'It's not _fair_!' she cried angrily, continually jabbing her finger at Petunia with each emphasised word. 'We still had _time_, if you hadn't _chased him away!_' Petunia gasped, her bony cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Her quick eyes flitted to the neighbours, checking that none of them peeked from beyond their curtains.

'Now, Adele, why don't you come inside...' she said as gently as she could, trying to remedy the situation. 'I can understand that you are upset, you were the boy's... friend... after all...'

In a second, Adele had whipped her wand out of her sleeve. She pointed the thing right in Petunia's face, frightening the woman almost out of her wits. '_HARRY'S_!' she cried, knowing how childish she was being. '_HIS NAME. IS. HARRY._ And of _course_ you don't understand.' She gritted her teeth, hearing questioning voices from inside the house. Aunt Petunia's terrified eyes were fixed on the bright pink stick in her face.

'Impedimenta! Wingardium Leviosa! Alohamora! Avada ke... avada ke...' Adele's face crumpled, tears spilling everywhere. 'You couldn't understand, I just wanted him to take me with him,' she sobbed.

Before she could turn and run, though, she felt thin, spidery arms envelope her. To her surprise, Aunt Petunia was _hugging_ her.

'Wh-what?' she gasped, too shocked to cry anymore.

'I _do_ know,' was all Aunt Petunia said. 'I _do_.'

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Lots of conflict... XD

I was super glad to be able to include the part with Petunia~ I think (I guess, being a muggle myself :3 ) that her circumstances are pretty sad, and that I sympathize with her a lot XD

The letter was supposed to have crossed out bits and that, but this site doesn't support it, so you get the less interesting version :c Annoying...

Enjoy, though!

Ecm

**And thank you to everyone who has reviews or favourited/subscribed to the story and myself c:**


	4. Chapter 4

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change."

* * *

Still upset, Adele wandered home later that day to find that Petunia Dursley had already phoned her mother, letting her know all about the 'strange fantasies' the little girl had been spouting on her arrival at the Dursley's home. Thoroughly embarrassed by her daughter's actions, Viviette Polkiss had made sure to keep her home for the remainder of the holidays.

It didn't matter anyway to Adele. Both Harry and Lysander had left her for their magic, possibly to never return.

She did wonder at what Petunia had meant. Harry's aunt had said she understood with so much feeling that it never occurred to the girl to disbelieve her. Did Aunt Petunia secretly like Harry? That would make her a _lot_ like Adele, wouldn't it..?

The school year began like clockwork, leaving behind it that bitter summer. Adele couldn't help but think, as she walked to school each day, that somewhere Harry and Lysander were going down to that magnificent hall for their own breakfast. The general chatter would be about magic and magical things, classes that were interesting and full of surprises. Unlike hers.

Lysander's bitter parting had left her heart sore, and the mention of him – from a classmate, teacher or even family member – would earn them a visit from the Wand.

Adele's pink wand was frequently becoming more and more renowned. Usually, at nine-turning-ten, wielding such an obnoxious stick at ones school would cause a child a lot of teasing. In Adele's case, it only added to the general terror she imposed. Several of the smaller children were convinced she would Avada Kedavra their entire families if they disobeyed.

Despite Lysander's departure, Adele still maintained a posse of nasty children who followed her lead. She was becoming so notorious that even some of the children from higher year levels had joined her group. On weekends and after school they would play pranks on the teachers and their lesser classmates, much to their delight and everyone else's mortification.

Mr. and Mrs. Polkiss were summoned more and more often to the school, always to deal with Adele. While Piers - who was now in his sixth year - still caused a lot of trouble, he was more of a follower while Adele was the mastermind of all her crimes.

'She pulls out this "wand",' Adele's teacher said, holding up the confiscated pink stick, 'and smacks the other children around the head with it.' She lowered her voice, checking to see if Adele was still sulking in the corner, not listening, 'and she speaks in _tongues_.'

At first, Mr. Polkiss had been glad that his daughter was "taking control" and "being a leader". 'Piers is a sissy boy,' he said to his wife, 'at least our daughter has some kind of fire'. But as the months flew by, and Adele got stranger, he began to worry that she might have a little _too much_ fire.

Three days before Adele's birthday a large, white owl flew in out of the snow as Mr. Polkiss returned from work. He and his wife were utterly terrified, cowering and shrieking underneath their kitchen table.

It wasn't until Adele returned from an evening walk ("patrolling for dark wizards" she called it) that either parent could be calmed and subdued, though they demanded she put the bird out that instance.

'No pets!' her father snapped, pointing out the door it had entered through. 'Your mother told you the last time it showed up that-'

'It's not a pet,' Adele retorted, stamping her foot. 'It's just like the mailman.'

'The mailman!' Mrs. Polkiss cried, looking faint. Mr. Polkiss glanced at his wife's pale face and then back to his daughter's indignant one.

'There are to be no more live poultry in the house, Adele,' he said seriously. She stuck her tongue out at him and turned to stalk up into her room, owl perched loftily on her forearm. A vein pulsed in her father's temple and quick as a flash he gripped her other arm, yanking the pink wand from where she concealed it inside her sleeve.

'And no more _magic_,' he hissed. Adele gasped, clutching for her wand.

'But _Dad_,' she tried, and he cut her off.

'There is no such thing as _magic_,' he spat. 'That Potter boy has you all wrapped up in his lies, and I'd sooner be dead than let one of my children be led astray by silly fantasies.' He spoke loudly, so as to smother Adele's objections.

'There is no such thing as magic!' he repeated firmly and angrily, and with a hard look at Adele to make sure she met his eyes he snapped the wand in half.

Silence was immediate. Mrs. Polkiss watched in a strange kind of bemusement as her daughter's eyes followed the wand's pieces as they fell. She felt a flicker of uncertainty at the anguish in her expression, but it passed.

Hedwig shrieked – an ear splitting sound in the dead silence that had covered the kitchen – as Adele ducked, picking up the halves of her wand. She began trying to push them back together, ending up with a crooked, definitely broken stick. Mr. Polkiss shifted nervously. Why hadn't she yelled? Her stony expression unnerved him; he had expected a few tears, at least.

Though only nine, Adele had a strong spirit, and when she did finally raise her head, it was all Mr. Polkiss could do not to flinch away from the defiant look in her eyes.

The wand was definitely broken but Adele thought it would still serve for one last spell. She raised her broken wand, pointing it directly into her father's face.

'Avada Kedavra,' she said quietly and carefully, flicking her wrist ever so slightly.

Then she turned with a sob, wand in hand and owl still perched on her arm, and fled into her bedroom.

'What did she say?' Mrs. Polkiss asked as her daughter's feet and wailing disappeared up the stairs.

'Abracadabra?' Mr. Polkiss murmured, shaking his head. 'I don't know what to do.'

***

Still feeling dejected and tearful, Adele tore open Harry's letter, shrugging Hedwig off as the owl begged for a treat. 'Not now,' she growled.

_Adele_

_Happy Birthday. I got in early this time. Hope you had a nice day and stuff, sorry I couldn't get you a present. Sorry I left so quickly, too._

_I have to be really careful, there's a murderer on the loose and they're saying he's after me. You should probably be careful too because he's killed muggles before._

_I've met your friend Lysander. He's sort of like you so I see why you get along. He's made friends with Draco Malfoy, though, so we don't speak much._

_See you when school ends,_

_Harry._

Ambivalence flooded Adele. The letter brought happiness and sadness at the same time. She loved hearing from Harry – and this was the second letter she'd ever received from him – but she was _so_ lonely, and _so_ envious. When she got to Hogwarts, she wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

Just like that, relief came. She had forgotten! She was turning ten in three days time, which meant that come Summer Harry would be back and she would be receiving her letter.

Seizing the quill that Harry had given her last summer (a beautiful Wedge-tailed eagle feather, straight from Australia) she hurriedly scrawled out a reply, talking about the new friends she had made, one of the cool pranks she had pulled and how she was learning analogue time.

She left out any mention of her argument with her parents, the loneliness and the broken wand.

***

In all outward appearances it seemed Adele had gone back to normal, much to the delight and relief of her parents. She no longer threatened children with curses – resorting instead to thumpings and threatening pets – and never made herself another wand. Her grades improved, though they hadn't ever been bad, and her parents stopped getting called into school so much. But that was mainly because she became better at shifting blame.

Beneath the surface, unseen to those around her, Adele hung on tightly to the hope that she would receive her letter. She could only put up with these unbelievers for so long before she would go insane and Unforgivable curse them all.

Soon, it was summer again, and any day Harry would return to Little Whinging, bringing with him more wonderful stories. Because of her last visit to the Dursleys, that long summer ago, Adele didn't feel comfortable going to see them again and instead waited to hear from her brother and Dudley. They wouldn't tell her directly of course, (almost-fourteen-year-old boys wanted nothing to do with soon-to-be-eleven-years-old girls) but she always knew, because Dudley would start coming over more often, looking paler and sicker each time.

Mrs. Polkiss stood in the kitchen, looking through the door to the lounge room. Adele sat on the settee, sketchbook balanced on her knee and pencil in hand, drawing the view out their window. Viviette thought she looked quite a pretty picture; her slender hands moving quickly, hair the colour of brown ash tucked neatly behind her ears and held back with a black headband, cornflower blue eyes darting from the page to the window.

If she had known that Adele's picture of the street had inexplicably become full of wizards attending a wizardy birthday party, she might not have been so pleased.

The pair jumped as the doorbell rang. There was a hurried thumping on the stairs and Piers raced into view.

'I'll get it!' he called needlessly, flinging the door open. A silence followed.

'Oh. It's you,' he said, stupidly. Adele smirked as her brother's ratty features drooped. Not Dudley, then.

'Is Adele there?' came a voice.

Adele's heart leapt as she recognized the voice. _Harry_?! What was he doing at her house, let alone voluntarily? She hadn't even had time to set up a prank for him to walk into, nonetheless, she was a brilliant improviser.

'Hullo!' she said brightly, bouncing out of her chair and to the door. Piers scowled at her, but Adele scowled right back. He was thirteen now, but still rather weedy for his age, so he and Adele were the same height. Adele looked to Harry now, and was pleased to see that he had also grown.

'Bye, Mum!' she called back into the house, closing the door in Piers' face.

They had barely stepped onto the footpath when Adele's questions began. 'How was your year? Did they catch the murderer? Did he go to normal jail or wizard jail? Do wizards have a special jail? How is Hedwig? Do you think she'll have babies? Can I have one? Did Hermione say hello to me again?'

Without pausing to breathe, Harry told her the entire story. The dementors that had plagued him; Lupin, the new teacher; how Sirius Black – who had betrayed Harry's parents, effectively killing them – had turned out to be framed, and actually Harry's Godfather; how he had offered for Harry to come live with him...

'He what?' Adele blurted, interrupting the story. Harry looked annoyed and tried to move on.

'He said I could go live with him, since he's my Godfather, and that I wouldn't have to live with the Dursley's anymore but-'

'And what did you tell him?' Adele asked, voice suddenly filled with a chill.

Harry clenched his teeth, annoyed. 'I'm trying to _tell_ you. Before we could prove his innocence, Peter escaped and turned into his animagus rat form, running away. So Sirius got captured – there was no _way_ Snape would vouch for him, plus he was knocked out from all the spells – but Hermione used the Time-Turner and we were able to save Buckbeak – that's the hippogriff – from being executed, and also get Buckbeak to fly Sirius away, saving the both of them.' He stopped, staring at Adele. 'What's with your face?'

Adele hastily swiped at her face. 'There's something in my eye,' she muttered. 'So you're not going then?' she asked grumpily.

'No,' Harry replied, his tone annoyed. 'I said, Peter Pettigrew escaped, so now Sirius is on the run and can't look after me.'

'Good,' Adele said before she could stop herself. Harry scowled at her.

'I miss Hogwarts and Ron and Hermione when I come here,' he said eventually as they walked. 'But I suppose it's alright, having you here. If you weren't, I think I'd go mad. _Now_ what's with you?!'

Adele couldn't help it, she'd burst into tears. Harry's warm words had freed the aching loneliness that had been building in her all year, and now that she had started she couldn't stop. Hiccoughs shook her small body, and she crouched on the footpath, face in her hands.

Harry stood by awkwardly, hand hovering near her back. Usually he didn't have to stand around when girls cried, they all seemed to have the decency to do it elsewhere. But, he reminded himself, Adele was only ten. Maybe the talk of dementors had frightened her too much?

Eventually Adele calmed down enough to stop crying, and she collapsed onto the curb feeling rather embarrassed.

'I think it's gone now,' she said to break the sudden silence.

'What is?' Harry asked, confused.

'The thing in my eye.' She kept her expression serious, staring at a line of hedging across the road from them. 'I think I washed it out.'

She heard Harry stifle a laugh. 'Oh, yeah. Well, that's good.'

'My dad snapped my wand,' Adele said after a moment. 'And they told me I'm not supposed to believe in magic anymore.'

'Oh,' said Harry.

He stood up, hands in his pockets, and Adele quietly marvelled at how tall he had gotten. She could see his wand poking out of his pocket, and she resisted the urge to pull it out.

'You don't have to stop believing because they tell you too, though,' he said after a moment. Before Adele knew it, all the worries she'd been harbouring began to burst out.

'But they snapped my wand, plus I've never done anything strange. Lysander could shatter globes and blow open windows and that, and you said that you spoke to snakes and disappeared glass and regrew your hair. I can just trip people over so everyone _laughs_ at them. It's not fair,' she added for good measure.

'Well... I'm about to start my fourth year now... which means you're about to turn eleven. There's a chance you'll get your letter.'

'I know...' Adele said. 'But my wand...'

'Was ridiculous. Besides, you get one after your invitation usually. And you're strange enough without blowing things up.'

She stood and kicked Harry hard in the ribs, glaring at him. 'Your aunt said they didn't want you back, so why are you here?' she snapped, changing the topic.

'Guess they changed their minds,' Harry answered, wincing and clutching his side. He frowned at her. Adele tripped him as he tried to get up.

***

Mrs. Polkiss was having a Tupperware party with a few of the women from the neighbourhood – Harry's Aunt Petunia included – so the two Polkiss children had been sent out of the house for the day. Piers made a bee-line for Dudley, and so Adele tagged along.

'Can't you just leave me alone?' Piers snapped when he noticed her behind him.

'I'm not following you, I'm going to see Harry,' she replied primly. He sneered.

'Your _boyfriend_?'

'_You're_ the one visiting your _boyfriend_,' she muttered.

Piers would have hit her if she wasn't taller and stronger than he. As it was, he resolved to have Dudley beat Harry up later. That would teach her. Sort of.

The two siblings arrived to a very strange scene. Dudley and Harry were both sitting on the grass outside the Dursley's house. Harry wasn't weeding or mowing or planting or watering or anything, which surprised both newcomers.

Adele hit Harry on the head with an agapanthus bloom to get his attention and he turned around, glaring, his glasses crooked. Dudley and Piers quickly moved away, furtive glances shot in the peculiar pair's direction.

'How come you're not doing chores?' Adele asked immediately, as Harry reclined once again.

'I might have let slip that the Insane Sirius Black is my rather affectionate Godfather,' he said, grinning. 'I also might have conveniently forgotten to mention that he's innocent.'

'Harry!' Adele gasped. 'That's _lying_.'

Adele could see Aunt Petunia peeking at them through the curtains, but she chose to ignore her.

'I got a letter from Ron,' Harry started after a moment.

'Did he say hello to me?' interrupted Adele.

'Erm, no, but I'll tell him you said hi... he's asked me to come stay the last couple of weeks of the holidays.'

Adele sat up. Harry didn't notice her sudden alarm.

'We're going to the Quidditch World Cup.'

'Will Hermione be there too?' she asked almost immediately.

'I think so,' Harry nodded. 'Anyway, they're coming to pick me up this weeken-'

Adele flopped back onto the ground beside him, eyes opened wide and pleading. 'Can _I_ come?'

Harry blinked firmly. 'But we're going to school straight after...'

'I'll get my letter soon!'

'I can't really invite you to Ron's house...'

'He won't mind, I don't eat much I promise, and Sparkles will leave Errol and Hedwig alone-'

'Sparkles?' Harry spluttered.

'She's the owl I'm going to buy – OH! Will we go to Diagon Alley, all of us together?'

'Look, Adele...'

'How shocked Lysander will be when he sees me, surrounded already by new friends. And imagine all the kinds of pranks _wizards_ play! Probably much cleverer than muggle tricks, though for the moment I've had to make-do-'

'Adele!' Harry cried in exasperation, finally breaking through her monologue. She stopped, staring at him, mouth still open in mid-sentence.

'You can't come,' said Harry gently. 'Ron didn't invite you.'

'Can't you ask?' she implored. Harry shook his head firmly.

'...They're my friends, Adele. When you come to Hogwarts you can make your own. Friends that are your own age.'

He stood up, and Adele felt suddenly dwarfed as she sat on the ground. She had never forgotten their ages, but had simply begun to think they didn't matter.

Well, they still didn't. To her at least.

'But...' she tried, but Harry was already shaking his head again.

'Besides, won't you be happy to be reunited with Lysander? I'm sure you'd get along with Malfoy, you're similar in some ways.'

'But you _hate_ Malfoy!' Adele wailed, feeling tears threaten. 'How can I-?'

'Look, I'll still talk to you sometimes, I guess, you'll just have other friends as well,' Harry said quickly, trying to remedy the situation. 'All I'm saying is you can't forget that I'm a fourth year and you're, well, just a first year.'

Adele leapt to her feet, radiating anger. 'I _HATE_ YOU!' she screamed. 'YOU _HATE_ ME!'

'I don't _hate_ you,' Harry spluttered. 'It's more like-'

Harry stopped with a gasp of pain, clutching at the shin Adele had just assaulted.

'As soon as I get my wand I'm going to Incendio you, Harry Potter!' Adele snarled.

'Don't be an idiot,' he wheezed from where he had collapsed to his knees. '...You'd understand if you were older.'

'I wish I _was_!' she cried.

Recovering, Harry stumbled to his feet, still slightly winded. Adele was stomping in circles, flattening the grass in her anger.

'I wish I was a witch right now! Like Hermes!'

'Hermione,' corrected Harry automatically. 'And anyway,' his voice was gentler now, but still brisk. 'There's still your letter, coming soon. And we'll still be frien...'

He cleared his throat.

'...Yes?' Adele pressed, looking at him intensely.

Harry cleared his throat again.

'We'll still be... from the same street. And we can still spend Summer together.'

'Unless you get a better offer,' Adele growled. Harry pretended not to hear and patted her on the head.

'Did I tell you about Sir Cadogan, last year?' he asked, in a not-very-subtle change of subject.

Adele shook her head, even though he had. Harry launched into the story eagerly.

'Well, after Sirius attacked the Fat Lady, they had to replace her portrait...'

***

Harry left that weekend. Despite their small dispute they parted readily and on good terms, Harry promising to write before they went back to school.

Before he left though, Adele cut the laces in his sneakers, drew on one of his glasses lenses and stole one of his textbooks. She reasoned that he could easily fix and/or replace all three items.

Mischief managed, Adele settled into her house, waiting eagerly for the owl bearing her letter.

And she waited.

And waited some more.

Adele began to despair. Surely it was too late? No sensible school would leave it this late to invite students? There was barely a week left of the holidays – nowhere near enough notice for pulling out of old schools. Adele imagined that her owl had been knocked off course, or otherwise delayed. She had a nightmare in which Piers received her letter by mistake, and woke up screaming. All too soon, she began to doubt that her letter had ever been coming.

_There is no such thing as magic._ The small girl's father's voice rang in her ears. Could it be true?

Seeds of distrust had been sewn, and they began to flower. Maybe... maybe it really was a lie? A joke that Harry was playing on her, to pay her back for all of the pranks he had been the butt of.

After all, he had – conveniently – never been able to show her anything magical.

But what she had seen Lysander do...

Maybe he had been in on it too?

Torn and confused, Adele sank into a sort of stupor. She wandered around as if dead for the entire rest of the week, though it was a couple of days before her parents noticed at all.

_There is no such thing as magic_. She had never really truly considered that possibility. It left her gasping for breath, as if suddenly someone had yanked the ground out from under her feet.

Two days before the holidays ended, Adele's worries were abated rather suddenly. The afternoon was sticky, as usual for summer, but she had opened the window to allow a breeze in, unknowingly allowing the admittance of an owl.

Lying on the bed and drawing (usually a depiction of all the different ways she would punish Harry when he came back) it took Adele a few moments before she even noticed the owl. It was rather large and brown, with round yellow eyes that flicked around the room cautiously. Around its ankle, a letter was tied.

At first Adele lay as if someone had put her under a Petrificus Totalus charm (she'd been reading about them in the book she'd stolen from Harry). Then she moved very suddenly, almost startling the poor owl to death.

Tearing the envelope from its bindings, she broke the seal without really looking at it.

_I've got my letter, Harry!_

The letter unfolded almost all by itself. It was smaller than she had thought it would be, and as she stared at the rather messy cursive, she left as if her veins were slowly being filled with lead.

It was from Harry. It read;

_Dear Adele;_

_Have you got your letter yet?_

_H_

The entirety of Surrey, heard her scream of rage and anguish.

_There is no such thing as magic_.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This chapter is too long. I can also swear that this story was never meant to be so... serious D:

Also, a couple of discrepancies between my story timeline and the actual Harry Potter timeline have been pointed out to me (such as the fact that Harry didn't find out about the unforgivable curses until later etc). I really would like people to point out anything odd that they notice, and depending on how serious my offence is I will alter the story accordingly. C:

No really, I meant this story to be a comedy XD There are funny bits... right? RIGHT?! D:

**Thank you to everyone who reads, reviews, favourites and subscribes c:**

- Ecm


	5. Chapter 5

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change." - Wikipedia

* * *

Harry followed the curve of the footpath ahead with his eyes. It was only ten minutes from his house to Adele's, yet right at that moment he wished he could add a few more hours to the walk.

He had returned to Privet Drive a few days earlier but hadn't been to see his friend yet. There were a couple of reasons for this; primarily it was because he was afraid.

When Adele had not turned up at Hogwarts Harry had come to the conclusion that she had not received her letter. Hermione had quickly supplied the alternative that her parents had not allowed her to come; but Harry's memory of his own guardian's denial and the hundreds of letters that followed (until the Dursleys conceded) made this option seem unlikely.

The year had been very busy for him. Having to deal with being forced into the Triwizard tournament; the suspicion and disbelief of his peers (including Ron); risking his life countless times; being rejected by Cho Chang for Cedric Diggory; then Cedric dying... oh, and then he had to fight Voldemort. But the last was becoming a bit of a routine so it didn't bother him so much.

Throughout all the mayhem he had managed to send Adele a letter at Christmas time containing a Happy Birthday message and asking how she was. Hedwig had returned, however, with no reply. It was noted that the owl was rather ill from an apparent over dosage of grapes.

So not only was he afraid of Adele's jealousy, but he also had a sneaking suspicion that she was mad at him. Unless giving his owl food poisoning her idea of a joke.

Several times Harry had turned around as if to head back home, but each time the prospect of remaining alone for the rest of the holidays was too daunting to face. So onwards he pressed.

All too soon he stood on the path outside the Polkiss' house. Harry could see through the window into their front room, and he started when he noticed Adele standing there. Panicking, it was all he could do not to flee.

She hadn't seen him though, and he realized she was talking to someone. She had grown again and was even starting to look like a young teen instead of a little girl. Still, he couldn't help but see the tricky child who had drawn on his glasses and cut the laces of his sneakers.

Adele's face was bright red with anger. Harry could see now that she was talking to her brother – no, not talking, they were arguing. It seemed Piers had finally grown; he and his sister were the same height.

Unexpectedly, Piers swung a fist at Adele, catching her off-guard on the side of her face. Harry heard her yell despite the distance and glass.

Before he knew it he was sprinting to the front door and flinging it open. Racing into the living room he leapt over a couch, wand in hand and ready to defend. He stopped in surprise, however, met with a completely different sight to what he had expected.

Adele sat on her brother's chest, a fist of his hair in her hand as she smushed his face into the carpet. The two had stopped stock still in Harry's presence and were staring at him with their mouths slightly agape.

'_You_?' Piers gasped, his words muffled into the floor. 'Wha' you doin' here?!' With a grunt, he shoved the still startled Adele off him, leaping to his feet. 'Who said you could... come...' Piers trailed off as Harry pointed his wand between his eyes.

'Surely Dudley's told you about what I can do?' Harry said softly. Piers hesitated just one moment, but it was all that Harry needed. 'Abracadabra, alakazam, turn this boy into smoked-'

With a strangled yelp, Piers fled from the room and up the stairs where he could be seen peeking between the rails. Satisfied, Harry pocketed his wand and turned to help Adele up. She was already standing, however, glaring at him with a definite pout.

Harry groaned inwardly. She _was_ mad. About what, he could only guess, but he would be wrong. Adele's logical thought moved in ways no one could comprehend.

'Go _away_, Harry,' she said, her voice petulant. 'Piers is right, no one said you could come here.'

Harry started, shocked. 'I thought he was hurting you,' he said in his defence. 'I was-'

'I can look after myself!' Adele's eyes flashed, and Harry thought he could see a tear or two. 'You're never here anyway, so I _have_ to!'

Anger rose in Harry immediately – he was sick of Adele always reacting this way to everything. 'Look, it's not _my_ fault you didn't get your letter-'

'If you hadn't _told_ me about it I never would have _wanted _one!' Adele screamed, tears overflowing everywhere. 'And magic doesn't even exist, you were tricking me, you were tri- tri-' her words were drowned out by hiccoughs, and tears. For possibly the first time in her life, Adele had a full-blown tantrum. She crouched on the ground, covering her face, and bawled.

She'd cried before, yes, but nothing was compared to the true anguish she felt now. _All_ she'd wanted was to go to school with Harry and Lysander, to be magical like them. She wanted to meet Hermione, to see Dumbledore, and then she and Harry would fight Voldemort side-by-side. But it wasn't even true. She doubted if Hermione even existed.

Harry had now had prior experience with Adele's crying. He knelt down beside her and – awkwardly at first – slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him gently. She didn't resist, and proceeded to sob into his shirt, releasing all that pent-up anger, hate, regret and betrayal onto the person who had caused it all.

***

Adele was building a fort.

On an afternoon walk, she had discovered a pile of unwanted wooden slats. They were horribly rotten and no use for anything, so she and a few of her minions had dragged it to the nearby park where they had begun the construction of Fort Adele. The abundance of wood meant the fort was fairly elaborate, with a crawl-through entrance and a larger room at the back. It took the entirety of the afternoon to build, but it was well worth it. One of the boys had just lifted the swinging door for Adele when a shadow fell across the group. Adele turned and squealed in surprise.

Lysander Lore had grown a lot since his move to Hogwarts. The other children recognized his dark hair and fine features easily enough, but there was something new about him that told them all he was very changed.

'Lysander!' Adele cried happily. 'You're back! Have you just come to visit your parents?' Her cheeriness was met with a cool expression of distaste. Lysander surveyed the group.

'Still playing in the mud, then,' he said dispassionately, eyes finally resting on Adele. Her gaze drifted down to the wand protruding from his pocket.

'Unfortunately I _am_ back,' he continued in his drawling voice. 'My parents needed visiting and Draco's family couldn't have me to stay again, much to their displeasure.' He flicked an imaginary piece of dirt from his sleeve, face expressionless.

Adele touched his hand, smiling. 'I'm glad you're back, though,' she said. 'It's been-'

With an unfamiliar ferocity he yanked his arm away from her, taking a step or two back. 'Keep your filthy muggle fingers _off_ me!' he cried, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and scrubbing at his 'soiled' hand. Adele's eyes were wide with hurt and wonderment – this certainly wasn't the Lysander that she remembered. But that didn't give him any excuse. Adele wasn't one to succumb to intimidation, especially not from _Lysander_.

'What, not good enough for you now are we?' she cried, advancing on him. 'You go off to your wizard school and suddenly you're better?' she scoffed and kicked dirt at him. 'Don't make me laugh! You're still the same baby-boy who got upset when I wrote a letter to Harry. You're still the same kid who planned all those pranks with me – you're still a snot-nosed kid, playing in the dirt like us!' a furious grin spread across her face – this is what she needed. More than crying, she needed an outlet, someone to scream at. 'You're still-'

With a roar of fury, Lysander's cool façade was cracked. He leapt at Adele, knocking her to the ground. They scuffled for a few moments, pulling hair and clothes, before Lysander came to his senses and Adele felt a wand stabbing into the side of her neck.

'Just give me a reason, _filth_,' he spat, panting. He had her pinned down with a knee on her stomach as well as his wand at her throat, and his free hand held him up off the ground. Adele scowled at him defiantly, though inside she could only feel terror. A quick glance around told her that her entourage had fled.

'You wouldn't dare!' Adele hissed. 'You'll get expelled. You're too much of a wuss. You can't even-'

'_Fernun_-'

'_Not_ the smartest move,' whispered a voice from above.

Adele opened her eyes – she had blinked, not flinched, she told herself – and stared above Lysander into the eyes of Harry Potter. She hadn't seen him since his surprise visit to the Polkiss' house, and blood rushed to her cheeks at the memory.

Lysander was frozen, Harry's wand pointed unwaveringly between his dark eyes. They flicked from Adele to the wand quickly as he weighed his chances.

' "Just give me a reason, filth,"' Harry mimicked, his voice dripping disdain. 'I've had about the worst day ever and I'm just waiting for you to make the wrong move.'

Adele thought this new side of Harry – the evil side she christened it – was just as dashing as the rest of him, and she sneered at Lysander with a renewed courage.

The boy released her collar and stepped off her, shoving his wand back into his pocket petulantly. He spun on his heel and stormed away, calling back over his shoulder a few insults that Adele didn't understand.

'You okay?' Harry asked, helping her up. She brushed dirt off her back and nodded, legs trembling.

'It's lucky you came in time,' she said after a moment. Harry grimaced.

'I was watching from the swings, I just didn't realize he'd do that,' he admitted. 'But yeah, I'm glad I was here.'

A silence stretched between the two as Adele watched Harry's face. There was a new pain about him, she thought, and she wondered what had happened that year at Hogwarts to make him look so drawn. Before she could ask, however, voices called her attention away.

Dudley Dursley and his group of cronies were waltzing past the park, singing a crude song at the top of their lungs and jeering. Adele saw Harry's hands and jaw clench as he watched them, and she got the strangest feeling that he wanted to fight them all. Very slowly and gently, she took his hand, forcing it to relax and slipping her own inside.

'Can I come to your house for a bit?' she asked once Dudley was out of sight. Harry was watching her thoughtfully, and after a moment he nodded.

The two of them walked quickly and soon they had caught up to Dudley's group. Harry hushed her and they stood behind a tree as the other boys bid each other goodbye. Adele stuck her tongue out at Piers as he slunk off back home – he'd told their mother he was at a study meet.

'Bye, Dud!'

'See ya, Big D!'

They waited a little bit longer before Harry allowed Adele to move. She had to run to keep up with his long legs, so soon they had again caught up to Dudley.

Harry called out to Dudley and they started to trade insults and jibes. Having heard the stuff over and over again, Adele found herself zoning out.

What had happened to Lysander? The last time they'd met, he'd been so jealous of her and Harry's friendship he'd stormed away in a fury. Now, it seemed as if he didn't want to ever see her again. Except… he _had_ come to see her.

Her face burned with shame. He'd called her a muggle. It wasn't like she could help it, was it? She hadn't asked to be born a muggle. A dull pain throbbed inside her chest; what was wrong with Lysander? Maybe he was still mad about the letter she'd written to Harry… or maybe it was something else…

The memory of his knee on her stomach caused bile to rise in her throat. The real fear hit her right then. Lysander had been going to spell her. He obviously hated her so much that he didn't even mind being expelled. But why..?

A high-pitched voice broke through Adele's thoughts. She glanced around, realizing they were in the alleyway right near Harry and Dudley's house. Dudley was smirking at Harry, mimicking him.

' "Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric!" Who's Cedric, your boyfriend?' he teased with an unpleasant laugh. Adele saw something in Harry's eyes – a real, pure horror.

'I – You're lying,' Harry said. His voice was uneven though, and those eyes told Adele this wasn't the truth. Who was Cedric? She didn't recall him being mentioned before.

Dudley had obviously noticed Harry's discomfort, for he continued his tirade. ' "Dad! Help me, Dad! He's going to kill me, Dad! Boo hoo!"'

'Shut up Dudley,' Harry said, his voice deadly. 'Shut up, Dudley, I'm warning you!'

' "Come and help me, Dad! Mum, come and help me! He's killed Cedric! Dad, help me, he's going to –" _Don't you point that thing at me!'_

The change in Dudley's voice was immediate. The mocking tone was dropped, replaced with dread as he backed into the alley's wall, Harry's wand pointed directly at his heart. Adele screamed unconsciously – Harry's eyes were murderous. He panted heavily, staring directly at his cousin who was desperately trying to retain his cool demeanour through his terror.

'Harry! Don't!' Adele cried, grabbing at his arm. He pushed her away though, eyes focussed on Dudley.

'Don't ever talk about that again,' he snarled. 'D'you understand me?'

Dudley was too absorbed with the wand to acknowledge anything else. 'Point that thing somewhere else!' he yelled.

'I said, _do you understand me_?'

'_Point it somewhere else!'_

'DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?'

'GET THAT THING AWAY FROM-'

Adele gasped. It felt as if all the air had been sucked from her lungs, like when you jump into a lake in the middle of winter. Dudley was paler and looked like he'd just swallowed a grapefruit whole.

Everything was completely black. Glancing around hurriedly, Adele found she couldn't see anything. No stars, no moon, no streetlights. No Harry. They were covered in a large, black blanket of silence.

She gasped again as the chill bit into her skin. Her eyes watered and her teeth began to chatter, frantically her hands sought for Harry in the darkness. She couldn't find him, though, and she could feel panic rising in her chest.

'W-what are you d-doing?' Dudley's voice broke through the blackness. 'St-stop it!'

'Harry? Where are you? What've you done?'

'I'm not doing anything!' Harry shouted at the two of them. 'Shut up and don't move!'

Dudley continued to whimper and cry out, and Adele could hear him moving. If she remembered right the two of them had been in front of her when the blackness descended, so by right if she just moved forwards… Hands stretched out in front of her as her "eyes", she encountered something that was not wall. It was too pudgy to be Harry though, and Dudley screamed.

'C-cut it out! Stop doing it! I'll h-hit you, I swear I will!' he squealed.

'It's just me, Dudley,' Adele said quickly, touching what she guessed was his arm.

'Dudley, shut-' Harry started.

There was a dull smack and suddenly Adele was aware that she was flying. Dudley had hit out in his fright, catching her on the side of the head. Stumbling, she felt herself collide with someone else – this one _had_ to be Harry, she thought – before hitting the ground and rolling away.

Dudley could be heard staggering around in the alley, running blindly. Harry was yelling at him to stay still, shouting something about keeping his mouth closed, and that he, Dudley, was running straight at them. All the while he was searching the ground frantically, trying to find the wand he'd just dropped.

Still reeling from the shock of Dudley's punch, Adele struggled to make sense of the situation. Running strait at whom? Who had the power to block out the stars? It only took her a moment to realize that she was finally witnessing magic. It surely wasn't as wonderful as she had expected, and she found herself wishing it would stop.

'Lumos!' she heard Harry whisper behind her, and suddenly the ally was illuminated by wand-light. Confused, Adele found the alleyway empty but for a strange, evil feeling. Harry swore.

Along with the chill and deep-seeded nasty feeling, all the light and goodness seemed to be gone from the world, and she could feel the strength seeping out of her bones. Harry's Dementor stories tugged at her memory, and she struggled in vain to fight the despair.

Having recovered his wand, Harry was now trying hurriedly to cast his patronous charm. The Dementor's power was working, however, and he felt his grip on reality slipping. It advanced on him, slowly eating the warmth from the world around it. Harry felt his arms stiffen and his mind cloud over.

He almost fell backwards, raising his wand. '_Expecto patronum_!'

The Dementor's progress was slowed, but it continued to move forwards, its breath louder now. Harry felt himself close to panic as he struggled to summon up a happy memory. Finding Hogwarts, winning Quidditch… nothing was… nothing was working.

The Dementor's rotting hands reached out for him, and Harry felt his knees collapsing. Still desperately searching for a memory, his eyes fell on the alley behind the Dementor that was still illuminated by his lumos charm.

Dudley was crouched on the ground with his hands over his head, whimpering. All was pretty good, there, and Harry was thinking that perhaps that sight was a happy enough memory to power his patronous, when he noticed the second Dementor. It was bent over someone, gripping the small wrists and forcing them away from her face, its head bending down towards hers-

Adele.

Memories burst into Harry's mind. The good and the bad. Adele pranking him, Adele smiling, Adele being _there_. The trip to the zoo, their arguments, the pink wand. Adele smiling.

'_EXPECTO PATRONUM_!' Harry roared, and all at once a silver stag burst from the tip of Harry's wand. It charged the Dementor in front of Harry first, coming full circle to return to Harry's side.

'ADELE! NO! YOU _THINGS_ STAY AWAY FROM HER!' bellowed Harry, racing towards his friend. The stag sped on ahead of him, catching the Dementor on its antlers. Trusting his patronus to take care of the danger for now, Harry collapsed to his knees, grabbing Adele's slumped shoulders. She looked sickly pale, and her eyes were closed.

'Adele! Adele! Are you alright?' he cried, shaking her. Was he too late? Had the Dementor..? The memory of the Dementors bending over Sirius the year before rose in his mind. 'Adele…' he croaked again.

She groaned – _oh thank Merlin,_ thought Harry – and coughed. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' she whispered.

'What?' Harry whispered, bewildered.

'I… called you a liar,' she answered in a quiet voice. 'I… believe you now. About magic.'

Harry stared at her for a moment before pulling her into a hug. 'Oh, shut up,' he muttered. 'No talking now.'

Adele smiled, and tugged a strand of his hair sharply. 'You looked pretty cool, magic-boy.'

Wincing slightly, Harry returned the smile. 'Let's get you home, now,' he muttered. 'And Big D, too.'

***

Harry carried her all the way home, passed her to her parents and instructed them to give her chocolate. The Polkisses were bewildered by this strange turn of events – and more than that, horrified.

'What were you doing out with him at this time of night?!' her mother shrieked. 'Ohhh, did anyone _see_?'

'What's the boy done to you?' her father demanded gruffly.

After explaining about Lysander and the Dementors and how Harry had saved her from both, Adele was immediately escorted to her room where she was given chocolate and then imprisoned. The very fact that her parents didn't want her to see Harry, and yet followed his advice, made the entire situation funny.

Still, Adele was desperate to go see Harry. His smile in the near-darkness of that alleyway had caused the bottom to drop out of her stomach, and she felt if she could see that smile every day she wouldn't want for anything else.

Her brother came into her room the next day, re-locking the door behind him. 'So you don't escape,' he explained. Adele sneered, slumping back onto her bed.

'What did he do to you?' he asked, sitting on the end of Adele's bed. 'Did he… _curse_ you?'

'Of course he didn't,' snapped Adele. 'There were these… things. Dementors. They attacked us.'

'But he summoned them, right?' Piers pressed, ignoring the murderous glint in Adele's eyes. 'You should've seen; when _he_ turned up on the doorstep carrying you in his arms. Mum went right off, screaming for Dad to come downstairs and pulling you away from him. All he had time to say before she slammed the door in his face was 'Give her chocolate!'.'

'He saved my life,' said Adele simply. 'Twice.'

'Yeah, whatever,' Piers said dismissively. 'If that's what you want to believe. We weren't going to give you the chocolate, but you were as pale as a ghost. After you'd eaten it you returned to normal again. So, are you going to press charges? I'm sure we could get him in so much trouble if we dobbed him in to the authorities.'

Piers found himself lying on the floor in the hallway outside of Adele's room. 'And _stay_ out!' she cried, slamming the door in his face.

'She sure is touchy…' he muttered, nursing his bruised face.

It was several days before Adele could sneak past her parents and out of the house. On arriving at the Dursley's, however, she discovered that Harry had already left.

'…Disappeared while we were out,' Petunia Dursley said peevishly. 'Escaped – I mean – left his room, took all of his things.' She glanced at Adele's mortified expression and sighed. 'He... left a note. Well, it was from some Lemur Rupee fellow. Saying he'll be back next Summer.'

Some of the tension eased in Adele's chest. He was coming back. And there was probably a perfectly logical reason to his sudden departure. No doubt she'd receive a letter from him shortly.

Happiness bubbling inside, she thanked Aunt Petunia and left to face her mother's scolding. Absolutely nothing could ruin her good mood, not even Lysander turning up and spelling her. Magic _did_ exist. And with each passing holiday she could feel herself and Harry getting closer and closer.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

_**edit: **Made a quick edit - forgot muggles can't see Dementors XD How embarassing. Thank you Gedpod for pointing it out c:_ **/edit**

I apologize for this chapter being so late. I've had it finished for a while, but kept tweaking little bits, and I was too exhausted to properly edit it. For that reason there're probably a zillion mistakes in there XD

Who can finish the spell Harry was going to use on Piers? XD

This chapter was heaps of fun to write, especially the Dementor scene. Almost all of Harry and Dudley's vocab is copied directly from the book, and I just slotted Adele in there cx

Hope you enjoyed it c:

Ecm


	6. Chapter 6

Petunia Dursley peeked from behind her curtains nervously at the front yard. At the end of the driveway, perched on the fence, was a little girl. Brown hair held back by an Alice-band, fringe hanging over pretty blue eyes, an excited smile on her face. Nothing was more horrifying to behold on a Saturday morning.

"The boy" stomped down the stairs, his expression as moody and ungracious as it had been when he arrived home the night before. As much as she disliked him, she was curious as to what had happened to make him so ill-tempered (or at least so much more than usual).

Choosing to ignore him anyway, she turned back to watching Adele and wondering whether to call her in before the neighbours saw her waving a brand new florescent-green wand. To her surprise, however, the girl had disappeared from sight. The front door slammed smartly, followed by a scurry of footsteps, and then she heard a startled yelp from the kitchen.

Harry Potter had almost dropped his bowl when he felt the arms thrown around him. Holding it above his head he glanced down to see Adele Polkiss peering from under his arm.

'Hiya, Harry,' she grinned. Harry smiled a small smile, he was glad to see her.

Noticing Aunt Petunia's horse-like face peering from behind the living room wall, he replaced his bowl back in his cupboard.

'Let's go out for a walk,' he suggested, peeling Adele off him and propelling her out the front door. Adele agreed excitedly, in the midst of telling Harry about how eager she was to start secondary school. Petunia watched them go, her mind lost in a fog of memories.

'…and we have these uniforms, right? They're not anything like robes, but I have a very stiff jacket over a jumper over a shirt. And a skirt with high socks and a tie and a matching hat. And we're not allowed to wear sneakers, because we have to wear these shiny black shoes. It's nothing _like_ primary school was, Harry! And if your hair is too long you have to wear it in a pony-tail with a matching ribbon, but my hair is… too… Harry?' She paused, watching him. 'It's an all-girls school, so you can't come, if that's what the matter is.'

Harry pushed his glasses further up his nose and smiled at Adele. It was good to hear her friendly voice.

'No, I don't want to go to any stupid girl's school,' he teased, 'especially if you'll be there. I'm quite happy at Hogwarts.'

Scowling, Adele aimed a kick at his shins. Having had years of prior experience, Harry dodged expertly.

'What's the matter, then?' Adele asked clumsily after a moment. Harry's smile had dropped from his face again, replaced with a morose look. Adele had seen him angry and she had seen him happy, but never had such a seriously sad expression belonged to her Harry.

They had come to a bend in the footpath, so they sat on the curb side-by-side. Slowly – and a little grudgingly – Harry told her the entirety of the events the year had held for him. He didn't feel like talking about it at all, the wounds were far too recent, but as he spoke he felt a little better. The guilt didn't lessen, nor did the pain of losing Sirius, but revealing all the ugliness in him to Adele took away the burden of hiding it.

As she listened, Adele's blue eyes widened further and further. The idea that Voldemort was inside Harry's head frightened her, and she watched his scar with a new apprehension.

'…and it's all my fault,' Harry finished. 'If I had listened to the others and told someone, instead of running straight away. Sirius might… Sirius might still be…' he paused a moment, thinking that this was the perfect point for Adele to interrupt and tell him he was wrong.

She was silent, however, and he looked over to find her gone.

'Adele?' he said incredulously.

'Yes?' she replied, her voice coming from the other direction entirely.

Jumping slightly, Harry spun to find her seated next to him holding two ice creams. She held one out to him, catching the melt-drops from the other one in her mouth.

'Were… were you even listening?' he gasped in disbelief, taking the ice cream anyway. 'Did you just wander away while I was talking to you?'

Adele shook her head. 'The vendor-guy walked right behind us. He listened a bit, too. Gave me a discount 'cause he thought you were crazy.'

Harry continued to stare at her and she flushed under his gaze.

'I _was_ listening,' she said firmly. 'And it's definitely not all your fault.'

'But I was the one-'

'_So_?' Adele interrupted him. 'I would have done exactly the same thing for you, or anyone. Just because it was a mistake doesn't always mean it was wrong. Well, technically speaking yes, but… you can't tell me Sirius wouldn't have done the same thing.' She paused, licking her ice cream. 'In fact he did, didn't he?

'My point is, if you think that anyone _blames_ you, then you're absolutely wrong. You stopped Voldemort from getting the prophecy, yes? AND you protected all your friends!'

'And I _killed_ one of them, too,' he said glumly, watching as his ice cream melted onto his hand and the pavement. Adele shook her head stubbornly.

'No, Bellatart did that.'

'Bellatrix…' Harry corrected automatically, the very mention of her name causing his blood to boil.

They sat in silence for a moment more while Adele struggled to find the words to make everything all right. On TV and in movies it was always really easy. You just had to tell the person exactly what they wanted to hear, and then they felt better. She paused mid-thought. But… telling them what they wanted to hear wasn't telling the truth. And she hated lying to Harry.

'I don't know, Harry,' she sighed. 'I think… I think that your uh… love for your friends is the thing I like best about you. I don't know if what you did was the "right" decision, but don't you think you'd feel worse if you hadn't of done anything, and Voldemort _had_ taken Sirius? Doing something… doing something is always better than doing nothing.'

Harry continued to stare at his ice cream, mulling her words over. What if Sirius _had_ been taken? He had been ready to give his all to get him back… that surely… surely Sirius didn't _blame_ him…

After a second more of waiting Adele got impatient. She knew that sitting around watching ice cream melt and wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to cheer Harry up at all. Snatching the cone from his hand and startling him from his thoughts, she smushed first his and then her ice cream onto his head. They stuck up like horns as the insides melted down the sides of Harry's face, all through his hair.

'What… what the _HELL_ did you do that for?' he roared in surprise. '_ADELE! _DON'T YOU RUN AWAY!'

Leaping to his feet he chased her down the path, feeling the sticky mess oozing through his hair. Adele cackled and continued running, and even Harry started to laugh a little.

Aunt Petunia watched them run past their house in horror. She hoped and prayed that they were running too fast for anyone to be able to recognize them.

***

Adele scowled at Harry. He was moping again. No matter what she said or did, he always returned to moping. Maybe it was to do with being twelve, but Adele was still able to bounce back from upsetting events easily. The idea that Harry was upset about his Godfather's death weeks after it had happened… she couldn't comprehend it. In short, Adele fully believed in the saying 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind.'

Taking his hand gently in hers, so as not to startle him, Adele pressed something hard into it. Harry looked down to find a shaft of incandescent green wood in his palm.

'What's..?' he started, blinking hard.

'My new wand,' explained Adele, grinning. 'I made it in Art class. The teacher said it was very impressive. Except I had to almost curse her to be allowed to use that colour paint,' she added in an undertone.

Harry stared at the affronting wand for a moment longer, and then laughed. It was the first time he'd laughed in days, and Adele brightened visibly.

'Why did you pick _green_?' he asked after a moment, the smile fading. 'Mine's brown.'

'I just… like the colour,' said Adele, making a special effort to avoid Harry's probing, green eyes. 'Lots of… pretty things are green. Like… grass,' she finished lamely. Harry seemed to have moved on already, and was staring at the wand with a frown that suggested it had greatly offended him. Adele took it back hurriedly and shoved it into her pocket.

The two of them were in the park again, their favourite meeting spot. Across from them three children were playing a game of football. After a while the two boys turned it into Keep-Away, and the younger girl shrieked in annoyance as she chased the ball up and down the field to no avail.

It gave Adele an idea and quick as an imp, she snatched Harry's glasses from his nose. _Try looking around moodily __**now**_, she thought triumphantly as she placed the glasses on her own face.

'Don't, Adele,' Harry said grumpily. She shifted out of his reach, sticking her tongue out.

'Do you still play quidditch, Harry?' she asked the blurred Harry-shape politely.

'Of course,' he said.

Adele peered thoughtfully over the glasses, preferring to look at Harry in focus. His sharp jaw and wild hair were so familiar to her. The serious green eyes, easier to see now that she had his glasses, glared menacingly. And he was so tall.

'At least people will believe you now.'

'About what?' Harry growled, making another snatch for his glasses. '_Adele_…'

'About Voldemort being back.'

'Oh,' Harry said. 'Yes. Can I have my…'

'Maybe I could come visit you at Hogwarts this year?' she suggested, trying to sound casual and offhand. 'During the Christmas holidays. Otherwise my parents are going to make me board at school.'

'No,' Harry said firmly. He took advantage of her disappointment and slid closer, plucking his glasses off her face. For a moment they were very closer, and Adele felt oddly nervous in the pit of her stomach. Then he had moved away, and she exhaled sharply.

'Is Hermione your girlfriend?' she asked.

'No.'

'What about Minnie?'

'Who?'

'Ron's sister.'

'Ginny,' Harry corrected with a sigh. Adele looked at him pointedly. 'What?' he muttered.

'Is she your girlfriend?' Adele pressed.

'Um. No.'

'Who is, then?'

Harry paused. 'I don't _have_ to have a girlfriend,' he said eventually.

Peering at him suspiciously, Adele felt a hard knot of jealousy forming in her stomach. 'You hesitated. And you didn't answer my question.'

Her blue eyes bore down on him and Harry quickly glanced away. He got the feeling that telling her would put both himself and Cho in horrible danger.

'There was a girl,' he muttered. 'Just for a moment. But… she was looking for someone else.'

Adele gasped, swinging a hand up to jab her finger in Harry's direction. '_You_ had a girlfriend?!' she gasped.

'Just for a moment!' Harry said frantically. 'She used to go out with Cedric Diggory-'

'Don't tell me he's one of your friends-'

'Not at all, you see he died-'

'You're not telling me she was on the _rebound_?!'

'I – well, yes, I suppose-'

'Harry!' Adele gasped, appalled. 'You don't date a girl immediately after her boyfriend _dies_!' Harry's cheeks flushed and he scowled.

'What would you know?' he snapped, holding her away from him by the head as she made another grab for his glasses.

'I _watch_ T.V, you know,' Adele answered, her voice muffled. 'It's _common knowledge_.'

Out of her sight, Harry smiled again, a silent laugh on his lips. Unlike most boys of almost sixteen, he quite enjoyed hanging around with a twelve-year-old girl. There was something vastly un-complicated and enlightening about it. Even if the particular girl wasn't exactly an angel.

'Come on,' he murmured, taking her hand. 'It's starting to get dark. I'll walk you home.'

Adele felt the alien, nervous feeling again, but let Harry lead her from the park. She just couldn't place it – she had never felt anxious about being with Harry before. Staring at where her small hand disappeared into his, a blush rose to her face.

Could she possibly, actually be..?!

***

The days passed in a similar manner, with Adele trying her best to keep Harry smiling whilst battling with strange new feelings. Harry seemed oblivious to any efforts she made to get him to notice her, and continued to brood over the events of the last few years.

Harry watched Adele walk into the Dursley's front yard from his window. He worried, very suddenly, about what would happen to her if Voldemort discovered her. She wasn't under the protection that the Dursley's house provided for him, nor did anyone – except Ron and Hermione – in the wizarding world know about her. Harry might have people following him to make sure he was okay, but no one was looking out for Adele. Already the muggle world was being affected by Voldemort. Bridges collapsing, buildings being blown up.

Then there was the matter of the letter.

Down below, Adele was swearing softly, having just rung the doorbell. She had stolen some of her mother's make-up in an attempt to look a little bit more grown up. She hadn't been sure how to put lip-stick and eye-liner on, and the car door hadn't given her a very clear reflection to work with. That, and she had just rubbed her eye with a fist, smudging it all over her hand and no doubt her face, too.

Dudley Dursley answered the door and at first he did not see Adele. When he did he abruptly recoiled in horror.

'Did someone punch you in the nose?!' he cried. Scowling and choosing to ignore his existence, Adele pushed past him. This proved to be a difficult task, as Dudley had again put on weight, so she settled for crawling through his legs.

Dudley sniggered suddenly, his brain having come to a very difficult conclusion.

'Are you trying to impress _him_?' he snorted. 'You look like a panda!'

Adele was halfway up the stairs when he said this and she froze for a moment, her expression hurt. She spun on her heel, painted face twisted in fury.

'Shut up Dudley! You could win a prize in a largest _boulder_ competition! You'd be the stupidest contestant, too!'

The gloating expression dropped from Dudley's face. Most boys his age would ignore such a childish remark, but Dudley had the common sense of a plank of wood to match with his self-control. He charged up the stairs after Adele, but she had already escaped into Harry's room laughing.

Too afraid to enter, Dudley had to settle for viciously kicking the door.

Harry had heard her coming and was mid-way through a quick clean-up. He stood stock-still with an armful of broken quills, dirty socks and crumpled paper.

'Hello, Adele,' he said, slightly embarrassed.

Adele almost didn't hear him. It was the first time she'd ever been in Harry's room and she was looking around as fast as she could, drinking in the view. Spell-books, Hedwig's cage, letters, parchment. A vial of ink sat amongst other things on his desk, and she itched to use it. She had a beautiful quill, but the kind of ink her father brought her didn't seem as interesting as the wizardly stuff Harry used.

'It's a bit of a mess,' Harry said by way of apology, but Adele seemed to have gone temporarily deaf and insane.

'It's _wonderful_!' she gasped, moving around now. She said a quick hello to Hedwig, flipped through a spell book and eyed _The Daily Prophet's_ moving photographs suspiciously.

'Do you mind..?' Harry asked, slightly annoyed, as Adele wriggled into his robes that had been lying on the floor.

'These are _marvellous_,' she murmured.

'And they're _mine_,' Harry said firmly, grabbing her by the arm and pulling the robes over her head. There was a crackle of static, and all of Adele's hair stood on end.

'Whoops,' she said grinning. Harry smothered a laugh, settling for a grin. He had just noticed the make-up, but decided not to mention it.

'Adele,' he said. 'Dumbledore-'

'It's very hot out, isn't it?' she interrupted going to the window and sticking her head out. The electricity seemed to be wearing off as her hair calmed down, blowing in a slight breeze. The air outside was even hotter though, and offered no relief.

'Yes. It's summer,' Harry said dumbly.

'I love summer,' Adele said quietly.

After a moment of comfortable silence, Harry sat next to Adele on the bed where she had curled up, eyes determinedly focussed out of the window to hide a flush creeping over her cheeks.

'I got a letter from Dumbledore,' he said eventually.

'About?'

'He said he's going to pick me up.'

Adele spun, her expression a mix of intrigue and annoyance.

'Not for a while though, right?' she demanded quickly. Harry looked away from her.

'Tonight, actually. I got the letter a few days ago.'

'But _why_?' she wailed.

'I've been invited to stay at the Burrow. Ron's house,' Harry explained gruffly.

Adele scowled furiously. 'That's not fair! What if I invite you to my house. Would you like to come stay at my house?'

'I can't, Adele, Dumbledore said-'

'Dumbledore's a _stupid_ old man!'

'Don't you say that-'

'I hate him!'

'You don't _know_ him!'

'I do, he happens to be a member of my father's bank!'

'You're a _liar_.'

'I. AM. NOT!'

There was the sound of breaking china from downstairs, and then heavy footsteps on the stairs that caused the entire house to shake. Harry and Adele broke off their heated glare in panic.

'Under the bed,' Harry hissed. 'Else he'll make you go.'

'But-'

'Get – under – the – bed,' snarled Harry, forcing the words from between gritted teeth.

Just as Adele's feet disappeared, the door was flung open and Uncle Vernon's massive form filled the doorway.

Listening to him telling Harry off, Adele couldn't help smiling. The fact that Harry had hidden her because he didn't want her to go made her heart warm. She was just envisioning them spending the rest of their summers together forever with thin-fingered hands gripped her ankles and yanked her from her hideaway.

She stared into Harry's furious green eyes for a moment before laughing and taking his glasses.

'Why can't you ever take me seriously?' he sighed, utterly defeated. 'At least I'll only have one more year of it.'

Adele's smile vanished. 'What?' she asked sharply. Harry raised an eyebrow, trying to focus on her blurred form.

'You didn't think I'd stay at the Dursley's forever, did you?' he snorted. 'I'm certainly not going to once I've finished school. And after this year, there's next year, and then…'

Panic seized Adele. The idea that Harry would go away forever was horrific, worse (she decided) than an army of ten thousand Voldemorts on her front lawn.

'I guess you'll have to come and live with me, then,' she said. Harry's eyebrow lifted higher.

'I can't live with _you_,' he said.

'What if we got married?' she persisted. 'Then..?'

Harry laughed and shook his head. Adele trailed off, expression desperate.

'Sometimes, I almost think you're being serious,' he said, grinning. Adele – who had been _completely_ serious – felt very suddenly that Harry was slowly slipping away from her.

***

Being summer, it was still warm out even in the middle of the night. Adele crouched in the agapanthuses, scratching mosquito bites sleepily, her eyes drooping.

She'd been sitting there for hours now. Harry hadn't said exactly what time Dumbledore was going to come, but she couldn't afford to miss him. If the (supposedly) greatest wizard was going to turn up on Harry Potter's doorstep, there was no way Adele Polkiss was going to miss it.

She was startled out of her half-sleep by the abrupt dousing of the nearest streetlamp. The darkness was suddenly very full of all sorts of nasty things; more Dementors, Dudley, crusty old wizards…

The rhythmic tapping of footsteps began, and Adele looked up in time to see (in the half-light) a tall, robed figure ring the Dursley's doorbell. After much loud shouting and cursing from within, the door opened, and the visitor swept in. Then the door closed and Adele was left in darkness once more.

Her expression was of fixed determination. The long silver beard, a glimpse of half-moon spectacles – there was no doubt that that had been Dumbledore.

Lights were switching on, lots of voices, Uncle Vernon's most clearly. Adele smiled, her eyes closing easily as she envisioned the events taking place in the house. It was warm amongst the flowers, and the leaves helped cool the night. Warm, and dark…

The closing of the Dursley's front door shocked Adele from her doze. She almost cried out in confusion, but at the last moment managed to stay silent.

Harry and Dumbledore had just left the house and the former was following his headmaster down the driveway, face to the floor. Adele was watching in wonder, and then panic. Her plan had been to see Dumbledore, and then to demand he take her to Hogwarts with Harry. If that failed, then at least to the Burrow, but now that the time came, she didn't know if she could do it.

'Keep your wand at the ready, Harry,' Dumbledore said as they walked. Harry looked up, his expression anxious and confused.

'But I thought I'm not allowed to use magic outside school, dir?'

'If t here is an attack,' said Dumbledore, 'I give you permission to use any counter-jinx or –curse that might occur to you. However, I do not think you need worry about being attacked tonight.'

'Why not, sir?'

'You are with me,' Dumbledore replied, and Adele swore she saw a twinkle in his eye. 'This will do, Harry.'

Adele's legs were shaking beneath her as she willed herself to stand. They had reached the end of the drive, and any second now Harry was going to disappear from her. If she couldn't speak to Dumbledore, she could at least… she could at least say goodbye.

'You have not, of course, passed your Apparition test?' Dumbledore asked Harry, who scuffed a foot on the ground.

'No, said Harry. 'I thought you had to be seventeen?'

'You do,' said Dumbledore. 'So you will need to hold onto my arm very tightly. But first, I believe there is someone here to see you off.'

Harry looked incredulous. 'We've already said goodbye to my Aunt and Uncle,' he protested, not wanting to speak to them until next summer.

Dumbledore smiled again, and Adele froze to the spot as he turned to look straight at her hiding place.

'No, Harry, someone else.'

Harry followed Dumbledore's gaze, squinting into the dark. If the streetlamp was still working, maybe it'd be easier to see. But there, amongst the agapanthuses, was that..?

'Adele?' he said unbelievingly. '_Adele_?!'

A confrontation was unavoidable now, so Adele stood up, sticking her jaw out defiantly. 'Hello, Harry. Sir,' she said, nodding at each of them with such a dignified air that it was hard to believe she had just been crouching in a flowerbed, stalking the two of them.

'What are you doing here?' Harry said, forgetting all about Dumbledore's presence. 'I walked you home hours ago!'

Adele scowled furiously at him. 'I wanted to say goodbye!'

'You said goodbye earlier.'

'Not _properly_.'

Harry groaned. 'I don't have time to take you home now.' He seemed to recall his headmaster just then, and subconsciously straightened his back. 'And it's far too late for you to be out. Children should-'

It had been a long time since Harry had so openly referred to Adele as a child, and she drew herself up to her full height (which was not much in comparison to Harry and Dumbledore).

'Mr. Dumbledore, sir!' she cried, fully resolved. 'I would like you to admit me into your school!'

Harry stared at her, dumbstruck, jaw dropped. Dumbledore chuckled, smiling.

'Alas, I cannot,' he said simply. Adele would not yet admit defeat.

'Then please, can't I come stay at the Burrow with Harry? And everyone else?' she added, remembering Hermione. Dumbledore was already shaking his head.

'I cannot extend an invitation to you, as it is not my home,' he said kindly. Harry could see Adele's frustration building on her face, and he was worried she was going to 'curse' him with her new wand, or worse, cry. Instead she just exhaled forcefully, expression downcast.

'…Okay,' she said after a moment. 'Okay.' Then she turned to Harry, and gave him the brightest smile she could manage. 'Have a nice year, Harry,' she said. Harry swallowed, and nodded.

'You too,' he said quickly after a moment.

Turning to Dumbledore, Adele fumbled for the correct wizardly greeting. Settling for a low bow and an enthusiastic 'Alakazam, friend!' she bid the both good bye, and set off for home.

No one had noticed her absence at dinner, so Adele snuck into her darkened home easily. Exhausted – both mentally and emotionally – she flopped onto her bed fully clothed, trying her best to keep a smile on her face.

Just one more Summer. She'd have to make sure it was special.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

_Gosh, sorry this took so long. I've been camping and then sick and then just a little crazy. I've had this chapter completed for a little while (apart from the last paragraph) but wasn't happy with it. I'm still not really, but it's what I want to happen and yeah. I really want to get this story finished XD_

_Also, I'm not sure at what age England sends kids to secondary school, but it's 13 for me so that's what I used. Because it fitted and I'm cool like that._

_Sometimes I bend the facts to fit the story, hokay? XDDD_

_Also also, yes there is only one more summer left, so technically there's one last chapter, but there is an Epilogue kind of thing that's still part of the story. So you get that too c:_

_I hope you enjoy! Thank you to everyone who reads. Also, to those who submit me unsigned/unreplyable reviews, I thank you too XD Especially Captain Shoulah XD You freaked me out, but then I understood and laughed for a long time, haha!  
_


	7. Chapter 7

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change." - Wikipedia

* * *

The sun was glaringly hot, a yellow orb of insufferableness. All around England people sat in front of fans and air conditioners or ran under sprinklers and soaked in pools. In a little park in the middle of Little Whinging, only a few streets from Privet Drive, the heat was ignored.

Adele Polkiss was sitting in a bush, wearing a hooded robe and flourishing a wand with practiced style. It was sunshine yellow with blue stripes, and as she spun it the colours melded into a pretty green, the girl's favourite colour.

Almost all year long she and Harry had kept correspondence, but for the last few months Hedwig had not come bursting into her house even once. Until that morning.

Adele had woken to a bright day and an irritating knocking on her window. When she threw open the curtains she was delighted to find the white owl, wings twitching crossly, perched just outside. A letter had been fastened to her leg and when Adele ripped it open she had found hastily scribbled writing; _Meet me in the park_. No name had been signed.

But it didn't need a name. She'd leapt out of bed, putting on overalls and a t-shirt whilst tucking her new wand into her waistband. Pausing for a moment in the doorway, she had also donned her homemade robes. At her high school they had a home economics class, and during the unit on sewing she had made herself the cloak, as well as a rather demented, wonky-eyed toy Hedwig.

She could barely wait for Harry to come. She was excited to see him again, but was also longing for a familiar friendly face. Starting at the new school had been hard, there were a lot of children taller and stronger than Adele as well as older, and quite soon she found that the teachers wouldn't tolerate threats or curses. Quickly Adele had learnt to keep the Wizarding World to herself. She had made friends in the end, but they all seemed too _ignorant_, especially about magic.

So now, with the toy Hedwig staring both at her and the sky, Adele Polkiss crouched lower into the bush, waiting for Harry Potter to arrive.

Footsteps sounded and she stiffened, her legs aching from crouching for so long. Mischief was glinting in her blue eyes as she leant back, waiting for the right moment. In her hands she now gripped a length of chord.

She pulled back suddenly, and there was a harsh jerk on the rope that yanked it from her fingers. Somebody on the other side of the bush fell to the ground with a crash, and Adele emerged victorious to grin down at…

Lysander Lore glared daggers, fury disfiguring his pretty face. Blood was starting to trickle from his cut lip, and Adele had to put her hands over her mouth to smother her shocked laughter.

'Oops,' she said after a moment. Lysander seemed stuck for words, simply bleeding and breathing menacingly at her.

'You _filthy_, _**muggle**_,' he hissed eventually, finding his voice. 'How glad I am that soon we'll be rid of your kind forever.'

The grin slipped off Adele's face almost immediately, replaced with a curious smile. 'What does that mean?' she asked, but he just smirked, eyes wide and annoyingly superior.

Adele's own eyes narrowed, not once leaving Lysander's dark eyes. There was something different, something _wrong_. A light had gone out somewhere inside him, and Adele was reminded of dead people's eyes. All at once the anger and hurt melted away, swapped for an overwhelming feeling of pity.

'What's happened to you?' she asked softly.

Something in her expression and voice flicked a switch in Lysander's head, and all at once he came to life.

'What's _happened_?!' he cried, his voice raising and cracking with strain. 'What _hasn't_ happened! I've been given a great honour – the greatest, you might say. I've stepped on my family and I've stepped on my "friends", just to get where I wanted. Last of all, I trod that traitor Malfoy into the dirt. He couldn't do anything, so I did… I did what had to be done. I'm part of the _inner circle_.'

He took a step towards Adele, but she stood rooted to the spot, watching him as impassively as she could. There was something broken inside of him, that much she could see easily.

'Malfoy couldn't kill him… but I knew _HE_ could. So when Malfoy shared his plans with me, I told everything to Snape… now I'll take my rightful place beside Voldemort. I'll be _right there_ when they commence the eradication of those unworthy.

'_Your_ kind will be the first to go,' he said, pointing a finger in Adele's face. A smile stretched itself over his features, a smile so pained and stretched it was almost unrecognizable.

'But we were friends, you and I,' he said softly, his voice an inch away from gentle. 'Before you ruined everything.'

'You're the one who left,' Adele found herself snarling, advancing on him. Satisfaction filled her as he stepped away in surprise.

'You chose _him_ over me!' he roared. For a moment he was the old Lysander, petulant and childish and out of control.

Adele could have laughed. '_That's_ what this is about? You're _jealous_ because I'm friends with Harry?'

'But you _aren't_ just friends, are you?' came his reply, accusatory and blunt. Adele started, her eyes wide.

'_What_?'

'You _like_ him, don't you? That half-blood, that _traitor_ to my race.'

Regaining her composure, Adele looked him square in the eye. 'So what if I do?' she asked coolly. 'What's it matter to you?'

It happened so fast she didn't know it had until it was over. Lysander's hand plunged into his jeans pocket as he stepped closer, swinging the wand level with her eyes. Almost instinctively Adele's fingers curled around her own wand and brought it up, ramming the butt of it into his throat. He gagged, one hand going to his neck and his wand arm relaxing. Taking the chance, Adele kicked him in the chest.

Off-balance and still gasping for air, Lysander tottered over onto his back, further winding himself and dropping his wand into the grass.

He was much taller than Adele - older too - but then again so was Piers. At the best of times Piers Polkiss was a snivelling rat who hid behind larger bullies like Dudley Dursley, but he had figured one too many times that attacking a younger, smaller girl would be easier. Adele had never lost to him, and the practice had now come in useful.

Plucking Lysander's wand off the ground, she stepped on his chest to stop him from rising. Gasping and wincing, her adversary's expression had turned to pure malice as he glared up at her.

Taking his wand in two hands, she snapped it over her knee before dropping it beside him.

'Just get out of here,' she muttered.

She heard him stand after a moment, heard him spit on the ground. Then he surprised her by not attacking.

'It mattered to me,' he said softly, 'because _I_ liked you. Even if you're a muggle, I just do.'

***

Harry Potter, almost of age in the wizarding world, turned into the park having just missed the confession. He stopped in astonishment, taking in the scenery.

The sight ahead was ludicrous. Adele – who was thirteen now and quite tall for her age – her robe hanging off her majestically as she stood, facing away from her foe. She had done a lot of growing up over the year, that at least was plain to see. Harry couldn't help but grin, his own sombre, anguished mood being almost entirely lifted. She just had that effect on him.

Spitting insults and curses, Lysander took one look at the approaching Harry and knew he had lost. With one last look at Adele and a scowl at Harry, he slunk out of the park, broken wand in hand.

'Not what I expected,' Harry said as he drew level with Adele. 'Nice robes, by the way.'

Adele stared at him, transfixed. He was even taller now. Painfully, she regretted that they spent so much time apart. It was always such a shock when Harry would turn up, his eyes slightly more haunted, his thin face older. Looking with a critical eye, she knew he was nobody's idea of strikingly handsome – except for maybe in a very dorky way – but there was a life and power in his face and countenance that she thought a lot of people would be drawn to.

Harry waved a hand in front of her face. 'Hello?' he called. 'Don't tell me he did spell you?'

With a huge amount of effort, Adele shook herself out of her thoughts. 'No, he didn't,' she said quietly, face burning red. Harry stared at her as if she were an alien.

'Are you sick?' he asked after a moment. Adele glared through her embarrassment.

'_No_. Don't treat me like a child.'

With a laugh, Harry walked to sit on the swing set. 'But you _are_ a child,' he teased. 'Look how tiny you are.'

'I just disarmed and beat a trained wizard!' she fumed. 'How dare you!'

'Lysander Lore is _not_ a trained wizard, he is a fool and an idiot.'

Finally feeling the heat, Adele pulled her robes over her head and sat on the other swing beside Harry. 'What happened?' she asked, referring to the stoppage of his letters, and the mournful expression that now adorned his slim face.

She listened intently to Harry's recount of the year. Slughorn, the Horcruxes, everything. When he spoke – in a voice choked with anger – of Snape's betrayal and Dumbledore's death, she gasped in horror. Even worse was that it seemed Lysander had had a hand in it, too.

'_The Daily Prophet_ is publishing all manner of things about Dumbledore now,' he said. 'I don't know what to believe. Horrible things, Adele.'

She swung her legs, thinking. 'But didn't they publish nasty things about you once?' she asked. 'And none of them were true, so… couldn't this be the same?'

Harry groaned, running his hands through his messy hair. 'I guess so. But I don't know. It all sounds reliable.'

Adele patted his knee in as comforting a way as she could manage. 'I don't think you should make assumptions.'

'It's not like Dumbledore is here to counter them.'

Adele decided she didn't like his tone. '_Exactly_. Don't insult his memory by doubting him.' Pulling it from her pocket, she showed him her new wand.

'Stripes?' he asked, raising an eyebrow. Adele grinned and nodded, before spinning it around her fingers.

'And it blends to make green! Just like magic.'

Harry laughed, then, ducking his head. An ache began in Adele's heart, a blush flooding over her face. Over the year she had done a lot of research and a lot of thinking, and she was sure now that she knew exactly how she felt about Harry.

'Um, Harry. There was something I wanted to ask you.'

When Harry looked up, something in Adele's expression melted the grin from his face. It was very serious, and a little bit frightened. It was not a look he was used to seeing on her, or one he ever wanted to see.

'What's the matter?' he asked quietly. The sunny day suddenly seemed to have a very ominous feeling, and his mind ran over all the things that could possibly be wrong.

Adele swallowed, blue eyes meeting green. 'Harry, I think that I'm-'

With a sudden ferocity, Harry tackled her to the ground. They landed with a resounding thump, Harry just managing to stop her head from hitting the tanbark.

'_What_ are you _doing_?!' she cried, smacking him. 'Are you trying to _kill me_?'

There was a sharp crack nearby and Adele stopped abusing Harry, looking around the park. A dark haired figure disappeared around the corner of a fence, but not before throwing one last rock in their direction.

'Lysander…' she breathed, glaring after him. Only then did she realize the position she and Harry were in. He was grinning at her as he lay mostly on top of her, and her face flushed as she pushed him away roughly.

'Anyway, what were you saying?' he asked as they both straightened their clothing. Adele stared at the blades of grass moodily. She had lost her nerve now, there was no way she could say it.

'You wanted to ask me a question?' Harry pressed, looking at her turned away face.

'Will you take me with you to Hogwarts this year?' she said brightly, looking back to him.

'_What_?' he gasped. 'I thought we'd already agreed that you can't-'

'I know, I know,' she interrupted. 'But I thought it might be different now, with Voldemort on the loose. It'll get dangerous around here, won't it? What if he comes to my school? You wouldn't want me to be unsafe, would you?'

Harry groaned, scowling at her. 'Of course I want you to be safe, but-'

Adele's breath had caught in her throat, and she covered the sudden grin on her face with her hands.

'-I'm not going to back to Hogwarts this year, anyway.'

Her grin fell. 'What?' she faltered. Harry ran a hand through his hair, sinking back onto the swing.

'I've decided I'm going to look for the rest of the Horcruxes. I can't go back to school.'

'What about Ron and Hermione?'

He shook his head. 'This is something I have to do myself.'

'Couldn't I come, then?' she said after a moment. 'To help..?'

'No,' Harry said firmly.

Silence followed, and Adele slumped onto the swing beside him.

'This is it, then?' she asked, her voice hollow.

'This is what?'

She waved a hand in the air, staring angrily at the ground. 'It. The end. You won't be coming back.'

Harry paused. 'Oh.'

'There's still all of this last summer, though,' Adele said in an attempt to look at the positives.

'…I'm leaving before my 17th birthday…'

Adele refused to look at him, or even near him.

'…You'll be pretty lonely,' she murmured.

Harry ignored her, standing up and stretching. 'Even if it is the last time…' he started, but then shook his head. 'Let's just do something fun,' he said instead, offering her his hand. Adele took it, trying to fight the blood rising in her cheeks.

***

They lay on their backs in the park, staring at the sky turning dark. Adele knew it was getting late, but she couldn't bring herself to move away from him.

Their bodies formed a straight line, their heads touching and their feet at opposite ends, and the still air and silent evening only served in making the moment all the more magical. With the multicoloured night sky above, Adele decided it was the right time.

'Harry, there's something I have to tell you,' she said slowly, clenching her hands into fists. 'Um, you see… I know I haven't always been very nice, and at times I've been downright horrible, but I'm… I'm really glad that we're friends.' She paused to swallow, squeezing her eyes shut. 'And not only that, I think… I think I really like you. L-love you, even.'

_There_, she'd said it. She held her breath, waiting for him to speak.

'Harry?'

Propping herself up on one elbow, she stared into his face. Eyes closed and breathing deeply, Harry Potter continued in his doze, unaware that anyone had spoken at all.

'Ugh…' Adele sighed, her face wrinkled in disgust. 'You're stupid, Harry Potter. Reeeeal stupid.'

Then, as the sun sank below the horizon and Adele watched the boy sleep, she reached out and covered his mouth, pinching his nose closed.

Harry woke with a start, shouting and gasping for air. Squealing, Adele leapt to her feet, dodging his hands and laughing at his murderous expression.

'It's getting dark, I'd better walk you home,' Harry said more seriously, standing up. Adele scowled at him and opened her mouth to tell him off for treating her like a child. Before she could though, Harry's hand darted out, pinching her nose.

'Wh-' she cried, struggling to pull away from him. 'Harry! Don'd!'

Grinning again, Harry rested his elbow on her shoulder, bending down to her height. 'What's the matter?' he teased.

Adele hit at him angrily, managing to push him away. 'Stupid!' she cried, cheeks red and eyes bright. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth even as she tried to hide it, and Harry just raised his eyebrows higher.

'Stupid,' he returned graciously, before gesturing in front of him. 'And now, to take you home.'

***

Harry knew it was dangerous for him to leave the house so much, so a lot of the time Adele came over to visit him. They'd have to stay in his room to avoid Uncle Vernon's wrath and Aunt Petunia's snooping. Strangely enough, Dudley didn't do much more than grunt at them if he did see them, which was not often.

Adele liked hearing Harry's stories best, but when he wasn't in the mood she'd happily settle for reading his spell books. She couldn't _be_ magic, she had come to terms with that, but she thought it would be okay as long as she was a _part_ of the magic. Being with Harry gave her exactly the magical feeling she was looking for. She did her best not to think of what would happen after he left, not to think of what would happen after this summer.

'Harry,' Adele asked suddenly, looking up from her book. 'Whatever happened to that girl?'

Looking up from the _Daily Prophet_, Harry raised his eyebrow. 'What girl?'

'The _foreign_ one,' Adele muttered, wrinkling her nose. Harry's eyebrow rose higher up his face.

'Cho? Cho Chang?'

'That one!'

Was it her imagination, or did a slight blush spread across Harry's face?

'What about her?' he asked, gruffly.

'Is she your girlfriend?'

Harry snorted and shook his head. 'No, she isn't.'

'Is Hermione?'

'_No_.'

'What about Ginny?'

Harry faltered, and the pink of his cheeks became a definite red. 'No,' he said loudly, but Adele wasn't fooled.

'She _is_?' she gasped, dropping her book in horror. 'She _is_?!'

'No!' Harry said quickly, noticing the tell-tale signs of Adele's territorial rage. 'Sh-she… she kind of _was_. But we broke up.'

Adele calmed down almost immediately, looking at Harry's dejected expression. 'Why?' she asked, her voice soft.

Harry shrugged. '…It was too dangerous.'

'Because of Uncle Vernon?'

'_No_, stupid, because of Voldemort.'

'Oh.'

There was a lull in the conversation before Adele spoke again.

'Will you get back together once Voldemort is dead?'

'_If_ he's ever gone, then I suppose yeah. I'd like to at least.'

'Do you love her?'

His silence more then answered the question. Rather than feeling the crushing heartbreak she had expected, Adele felt mildly annoyed and very, very angry. Standing up, she marched over to the chair Harry currently occupied and yanked at a chunk of his hair.

'What are you _doing_!' he cried, struggling away from her. Adele glared up at him, feeling tears in her eyes.

'It's not fair!' she said suddenly, her voice gaining volume each time she said it. 'It's not fair. It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!'

Harry hurried to quiet her down, but she herself couldn't stop the words from pouring out. 'Ginny gets to have… EVERYTHING. She's got a cool house, a cool family, she goes to Hogwarts, she can do magic, AND you love her-'

'Adele, it's really not her fault that you're not magi-'

'I _know_ that, but _I_ love you _too_!'

Dead silence followed her words, the entire world seemed to freeze in place. Adele was mortified, and she almost wished that Uncle Vernon WOULD come charging up the stairs to interrupt. It was all she could do to stand her ground, the horrified expression on Harry's face made her want to run away until she reached Australia.

'You… like me?' Harry said eventually, as if he wanted to make sure she knew what she was saying. 'Me?'

'Yes,' Adele said sulkily. 'Is there a problem with that?'

His mouth gaped like a fish', opening and closing. 'Of… of course not. It's just, well. I always kind of thought of you as a little sister.'

'Your _sister_,' Adele muttered tonelessly.

He rubbed the back of his head, a flush on his face. 'Erm, what I mean to say is… I just… never really thought of you that way-'

'Fantastic.'

'-I mean, you're only _thirteen_-'

'Great.'

'-And I always thought you sort of hated me and just liked to torment me-'

'I didn't mean to!' she looked up suddenly. 'I just didn't know how else to _be_!'

'Why are you shouting at me, it's not _MY_ fau-'

'ARGH, Harry Potter, I HATE you sometimes!'

'_SEE?! _You send mixed messages!'

'You're so _stupid_!'

They lapsed into silence again, scowling at each other and breathing heavily. Adele couldn't help glancing at Hedwig, who looked quite affronted. Beside the cage was the Hedwig that she had sewn, its expression vaguely similar to the actual bird. Involuntarily, she giggled.

The tension was broken and Harry found himself also laughing. They collapsed onto the bed together, laughing until they almost cried. Then, Harry patted her hand.

'They're coming to get me tomorrow,' he said softly.

Adele nodded, wiping laughter tears from her eyes. 'Okay,' she whispered in reply.

They just looked at each other for a moment, Adele struggling to imprint Harry's face as it was now in her memory forever.

'…Harry-'

Very suddenly he sat up and pulled her into a tight hug. She squeaked as the air was forced from her lungs, eyes wide with shock and cheeks burning.

'I like you lots, Adele. Not the same way as you, of course, but I really will miss you. And I'll definitely come back to visit. Please stay safe until all this trouble is over.'

Adele swallowed a sudden lump in her throat, and buried her face in Harry's chest. 'Okay,' came her muffled response.

***

The Order took Harry away the next day. He'd made Adele promise to stay away as they did it – REALLY promise – as it was bound to be real-life dangerous. She didn't hear from him after that, but she could only assume he had escaped safely. The Dursleys disappeared the very same night, much to Adele's horror when she knocked on their door the next morning.

She sat on the low front wall for a long time, staring at the house. How many times had she sat in that same place, waiting for Harry to come out? And before that, before their patchwork friendship, how many times had she sat on the wall waiting for her mother to pick up Piers? Harry Potter and the Dursleys had been as much a part of her life as breathing, she thought to herself.

But she had promised Harry that she wouldn't cry. She didn't really feel like it anyway, she realized later. This kind of sadness wasn't the kind that caused tears. It was a little too numbing for that. A "forever" goodbye.

Adele Polkiss took a deep breath in and stood up, straightening her back. She saluted the house regally before turning away.

It_ wasn't_ a Forever Goodbye. It was just _until next time_. Of course she'd see Harry again. No doubt as soon as the stupid war was over he'd come running back, or he'd send for her to come to him. Before he'd gone he had admitted in a low voice that just maybe she WAS one of his best friends.

He'd come back for a best friend, wouldn't he? And it could be any day now, she realized. Surely it wasn't hard to zap a guy a couple of times with your wand. Especially since Harry was SO wonderful.

Adele grinned at the thought of Harry fighting Voldemort. She lay down on the Dursley's front lawn, her eyes seeing nothing of the blue sky and greenery. Instead she was envisioning herself at Harry's side, along with Hermione and Ron – not Ginny, she decided after a moment – as they defeated Voldemort. Harry had done most of the fighting while Hermione put up HyperSheilds and Ron blasted slugs everywhere from his mouth cannon. As the battle neared the end Harry stepped aside, allowing Adele to strike the final blow. Magestically, she stepped forward and cracked Voldemort on the head with a sun-shine yellow and blue striped wand.

And then, Adele thought, we'll all live happily ever after!

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry for the wait D: I had exams and I've been a bit under the weather with a few illnesses. I meant to have this up and ready at Christmas time, but… =__=

Happy New Years and Merry Christmas to everyone :heart: Thank you very much for reading, and also for being patient.

"Final" chapter. I'm no good with endings, so the next chapter will finish stuff a bit better ^^; It's not so much an Epilogue as it is an eighth chapter!

I hope you enjoyed C: Thanks to everyone who reads!


	8. Chapter 8

"**Hocus Pocus** or **hocus-pocus** is a generic term used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change." - Wikipedia

* * *

The snow was falling all over London, gently coating the city with the fine white powder. Civilians hurried along the street below, unaware of the danger lurking above.

Adele Polkiss, eighteen years old, had escaped from her family during their tour around London. It wasn't as if she'd never seen the city before, so why she'd needed a tour of it she didn't know. That coupled with Piers' moody presence had meant that she _had_ to get away. And now, while they frantically searched, she happily wreaked havoc all over the city.

Currently she was perched atop a building, a water balloon clutched in her gloved hand. She could feel the cold of the railing through the fabric, and her breath was visible in clouds. Grinning to herself, she took aim, and released.

Time seemed to slow for a moment, the balloon joining the snowflakes in their downward spiral to doom. But with an audible splash, followed by an audible scream, the balloon found its mark. Taking her cue, Adele continued to pelt the street with her ice-cold missiles. Angry calls followed her as she spun away from the edge, her laughter drifting down to the street below.

She slipped down the fire escape, humming a little tune to herself. Her bag now completely emptied of water balloons she had decided it was time to return to her family. No doubt Piers had finished his tantrum and had descended into a sulk. 'You _always_ let her do what she wants,' he would be saying. 'She ruins _everything_.'

Turning a corner onto another street, she collided with someone coming the other way. The two went sprawling, Adele's bag spilling its contents and the other person's bundle of papers scattering over the pavement.

'Bloody hell, my day can't get any worse,' the other person grumbled. 'I'm sorry, are you alright?'

'I'm fine,' Adele muttered, stuffing items back into her bag, very much annoyed.

'I was just…' the voice trailed off for a moment, '…I'm sorry, but have we met before?'

Adele's head snapped up, anger sparking in her eyes. 'Nice line, mister-' but then it was her turn to trail off.

Sitting in front of her, crumpled papers clutched in his arms, sat a young man. His face was thin, his nose long and pointed, his hair a shocking orange. A large number of freckles decorated his face, and a voice from summers long ago echoed around in Adele's head. The boy stared back at her, looking a little embarrassed.

Adele's voice caught in her throat. '…R-Ronald..? Weasley? Are you Ronald Weasley?'

He looked stunned for a moment, and then laughed. 'Am I really that recognizable? You know, you aren't the first person to ask me that. Who is this Weasley chap? All the young ladies seem to be searching for him, and none for me!'

'So, you aren't him?' Adele found herself asking, her voice small and disappointed.

'No. My name's Mallart. Mallart Jones. And you are?'

'…Do you know Harry Potter?'

Mallart looked slightly offended, continuing to pick up his papers. 'No. I've been asked _that_, too.' He looked interested for a moment, picking up something from the ground. 'Say, is this supposed to be a magic wand? But why has it got stripes?'

'What use ARE you, then?!' Adele snarled. Frustrated and embarrassed, she grabbed the wand off him, stuffing it back in her bag as if it had offended her. Then she snatched the papers Mallart had so far collected, throwing them over her shoulder. The wind caught them easily and even as Mallart cried out they began to scatter all over Charing Cross road, almost invisible in the snow.

Angry with herself and with that stupid boy, Adele stormed away down the street. Her throat ached, but she didn't really feel like crying. She'd forgotten all about _Harry Potter_ up until now. Over the years she'd given up waiting, had buried all of that nonsense in her past. And then, just for a moment, she had dared to hope again.

_And just _look_ what that gets you!_ she thought angrily.

Charging down the road, Adele ignored all the people she bumped into. A few times she even went out of her way to hit them, taking out her frustrations on anyone else. She let their complaints wash over her, letting them soak away the disappointment.

'Hey! Watch it!'

She'd been putting it off – probably still holding on to a childish dream – but maybe it was time for her to move away.

'Excuse _me_!'

Maybe a move would do her good. She could go to Wales or Scotland or America. China, Australia, _anywhere_.

'Hang on a second! You!'

That way she would _never_ have to worry about Harry Potter ever again. She wouldn't still be waiting for him to come and get her.

'Give me a moment Ron, I think I saw-'

'Well _I've_ lost Hermione and Ginny so-'

'_THERE_!'

Adele was almost jerked off her feet by a hand seizing her shoulder and turning her around.

'What the HELL are you DOING?!' she cried. 'I have had just about the WORST day and-' she stopped, stifling a squeak that rose in her throat.

'It _is_ you!' Harry Potter laughed. 'You haven't changed a bit – well, you're a little taller, but other than that…' He paused, smiling at her. 'You look well.

Adele couldn't say anything. A ridiculous grin spread across her face as she took in that familiar, thin face, the glasses, those bright green eyes.

'Harry Potter,' she said, finally. 'I never thought I'd…' as she spoke, her eyes wandered to his left, taking note of the disinterested red-haired boy beside him.

'Ron!' she exclaimed, much to his surprised. 'Please tell me that _you_ are Ronald Weasley!'

'Er, yes,' he said, having just noticed her. '…Who's this, Harry?'

Harry grinned. 'This, Ron, is Adele Polkiss. You'll remember, she's the girl who used to cut my laces.'

Ron eyed Adele suspiciously. 'And draw on your glasses?'

'Yup, and she sent all those drawings.'

'The stick figure ones? Oh, _those_ were a laugh! Um,' Ron stopped very quickly when he saw Adele's expression, glancing around them uneasily. 'Now where could Hermione have got to?'

'Hermione's here, too?' Adele asked eagerly, forgetting Ron's comment (at least for the moment).

Seeming to remember where he was, Harry looked back to Ron. 'Oh, yes, she is. But we got split up a moment ago.' He glanced back at Adele slyly. '…You always wanted to meet her, didn't you?'

Adele's eyes practically shone and she found herself grabbing Harry's hands. 'Could I?' she gasped. 'Do you think I could?' Harry started, eyes fixed on their joined hands. Only just realizing what she had done – so easily could she slip back to being twelve years old – Adele felt her face go hot

'If we can _find_ her, sure,' Ron said drily, oblivious to what was going on. 'She disappeared with Ginny a while ago, something about finding a present.'

Adele dropped Harry's hands as if she'd been burned, turning away from him to Ron. 'Oh, Ginny's here, too?' She laughed nervously. 'A present? Oh, for Christmas? Are… are you all going to the Burrow this year, Harry?'

When she turned back to face him, she found he was scrutinizing her very carefully, very seriously. 'Yeah,' he said after a moment, a playful grin spreading over his face. Adele's breath caught – she had _never_ seen him look so happy. Was this because he was away from the Dursleys? Because he'd beaten Voldemort? …Because of Ginny?

'It was your birthday recently, wasn't it Adele?' Harry continued after a momentary lull.

Adele nodded, tugging at her coat for a moment. 'Yesterday.'

'I knew it,' he said happily, before adding in a teasing tone; 'it's been… how many years? How old did you turn, fifteen? You're quite tall, though… I suppose you owe me quite a few Christmas presents.'

Adele couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'Fifteen?' she gasped. 'I'm _eighteen_! Don't treat me like a child!'

Harry laughed, oblivious to Adele's increasing rage. She had turned white with fury, her hands curled into fists.

'_That's_ the Adele I know,' he said as his laughter subsided. 'I thought you were acting a bit too mature to be yourself. "Don't treat me like a child…" oh, I've missed hearing that.'

Even though she knew he was only teasing, it was too late to stop. Adele had always had trouble controlling her actions, being impulsive and extremely emotive. _Extremely_.

'It's been _five years_, Harry Potter,' she snarled, jabbing him with her finger. 'And don't talk to _me_ about owing _you_ anything. I've been waiting for - _five - YEARS_.'

Harry almost laughed before realizing she was actually serious just in time. He quickly tried to remedy the situation. 'Look, Adele…'

Noticing the potentially dangerous situation, Ron excused himself quickly, saying 'oh, look, is that Malfoy? Must speak to him…' He remembered the Adele horror stories Harry had told him. They weren't something you forgot easily.

'Did you think I'd just forget? Did you think it didn't matter? Do you _always _make empty promises?' Adele continued to batter Harry, advancing on him. 'Did you think that just because I'm a muggle, I can just patiently _wait_ until whenever _YOU_ feel like it?'

'I don't- I don't quite-' Harry spluttered.

'Or maybe you were just glad to be free of me!' Adele's voice was rising steadily, drawing glances from all around. Across the street Ron was also getting his share of odd looks as he pretended to have an argument with a streetlamp.

Adele wished she could close her mouth and run away. This was certainly not how she wanted to be in front of Harry, like a spoiled child. But the words just kept coming. Even worse, she was wishing she still had some water balloons left.

'That's right,' her voice was quieter now. 'I guess I was always just an annoying kid from around the corner. We weren't even really friends. What reason would you have to come back? You probably forgot all about it.'

Harry coughed. 'Um, yes, actually. Oh, no, no! Not like that!' he added hurriedly, seeing her horrified expression. 'I mean, you were annoying, but you weren't not-nice. Well, sometimes you were, but a lot of the time you were really nice. You were a good friend, and such.'

'Friend?' Adele repeated dumbly.

Harry nodded, risking a sheepish grin. '…But I did forget.'

She blinked. 'You forgot.'

'About coming back.'

'About _me_.'

'_No_,' he said firmly. 'Not about you. I forgot you wanted me to come back. For a little while, at least. And then I was kind of… frightened.'

'Of what?'

'You being mad, I guess.'

'I never get mad!' Adele exclaimed, furious. 'And I'm CERTAINLY not _scary_ when I am!'

Harry looked at her pointedly and she flushed, clearing her throat.

'Either way,' he continued, 'I'm really gla-'

'_There_ they are! Well, there's Harry, at least.'

Adele was jostled aside, long red hair flicking her in the eye as someone pushed past.

'Harry, where have you been? Hermione and I have been waiting outside the Leaky Cauldron for almost half an hour, and where is Ron? You're lucky we even found you, but as usual all we had to do was look in the centre of a crowd.'

'Sorry, Ginny,' Harry muttered, rolling his eyes. 'Ron's just across the street. And _you two_ might have told us where you were going.'

Adele saw Ginny blush, and suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. _This_ was Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Once upon a time, she had made a voodoo doll of the girl. But she wasn't a girl any more, she was a young woman. Harry's young woman.

She took a deep breath, her expression sulky. 'Well, I better be going, Harry. I escaped Piers and my parents earlier, so I should be getting back to them.'

Ginny turned, surprised. Adele was infuriated to find that the red-head was taller than her. By a considerable amount, too.

'This is Adele, Ginny,' Harry said. 'Remember, the girl I grew up with?'

'The one who used to bully you because she was mad about you?' Ginny asked bluntly.

Adele _really_ wished she'd saved her water balloons, now. But she smiled at Ginny and said in a polite tone, 'still wearing your brother's hand-me-downs, I see?'

Ginny's expression twisted into a snarl. '_You_ can have them next, shrimp.'

'I'm not sure I want them,' Adele drawled, 'I hear red hair is contagious.'

'I can easily dye my hair,' snapped Ginny. 'Unfortunately for you, there's no cover-up for a completely dud personality!'

'It's called _money_-'

Harry chose this point to intervene. He stepped between the two girls hurriedly, forcing them to take a step away from each other.

'Come on, you two,' he groaned. 'Don't do this _here_.'

'Trollop,' Adele whispered under Harry's arm.

'At least _I_ can be with the boy I love,' hissed Ginny. Adele flinched and bared her teeth at her, readying a come-back.

At that moment, to Harry's relief, Ron rejoined them with Hermione at his side. As soon as Adele spotted her, her argument with Ginny was entirely forgotten.

'So _you're_ Adele,' Hermione said, beaming. 'Do you know how many times I had to repair Harry's shoelaces because of you?'

Adele blushed, but found herself smiling back. 'Um, sorry about that,' she said weakly. 'It's uh, really nice to meet you. Finally.'

Harry watched curiously, he had never seen Adele quite so bashful and nervous.

'Did you just run into her now?' Ginny asked Harry quietly, watching the transformed Adele with great apprehension. 'She's quite rude, isn't she?'

He laughed, grinning uncontrollably. 'Isn't she?' he said admiringly. Ginny stared at him, utterly baffled and appalled.

'Hermione!' Adele gasped suddenly. 'Is that – a ring on your finger?!'

Hermione blushed, her eyes flicking over to Ron whose ears were slowly turning pink to match her cheeks. 'Yes, it is,' she said in a small voice. 'An… engagement ring.'

'Homigosh,' Adele clapped her hands over her mouth. 'You're all older than me.' She laughed, glancing at Harry. 'I always forget the gap.'

'Should we get going?' Ron said suddenly. 'You know I've promised Mum that we'll be at the Burrow before dinner, and we've still got a few things to get in Diagon Alley.'

Hermione nodded quickly, 'yes, and I believe Ginny still needs to find-'

'That can wait for another time!' Ginny interrupted quickly, linking her arm through Harry's and sneering back at Adele. '_Lovely_ to meet you Adele, but we just _have_ to be going.'

'Well, why doesn't she come with us?' Harry said, pulling away from Ginny. He smiled at Adele, whose eyes were sparkling again. 'To Diagon alley.'

'But Harry-' Ginny complained.

Adele – whose eyes were well and truly sparkling – ignored her and turned instead to Ron and Hermione, clasping her hands in front of her. 'Um, Ron, I know we've just met and all that, but I've been hearing about you two since I was really little. Do… do you think I could come to… to the Burrow?' she asked breathlessly, eyes wide.

'I don't think-' Ginny began, but she was drowned out.

'I reckon that'd be all right, wouldn't it Ron?' Harry said. 'She can be my plus one.'

Ron exchanged a glance with Hermione, shrugging. 'I don't think one more extra mouth would do any harm. All my brother's are coming down, so Mum probably won't even notice another guest.'

Adele shook his hand, warmly, just resisting a sudden urge to dance.

That being decided, the five of them set off, Adele only just remembering that her family were still looking for her. Wondering how to contact them, she didn't even notice when Hermione dropped back to walk beside her.

'You know, I actually thought you'd be a little scarier,' she said after a moment. Adele blinked, confused for a moment.

'After all the stories Harry told us, I never expected his tormentor could be such a normal looking little girl!' Hermione laughed. Adele ducked her head for a moment, grinning. She liked Hermione very much, and didn't even mind the "little girl" comment.

'Did he… talk about me a lot, then?' she asked, blushing as she recalled Ginny's comment. Hermione nodded watching Adele for her reaction.

'A whole lot,' she said. 'He still does, actually.' After a pause, she continued to speak, her voice more hesitant. 'Are you really still mad at him? Ron says you were telling him off before we arrived.'

'Ah, that…' Adele laughed nervously. 'I guess so. I don't know.' She shrugged. 'I suppose he didn't really have any obligation to come back. I think this time it's just my fault.'

She jumped as Hermione grabbed her arm. The others kept walking, oblivious, and Adele looked at the older woman in shock.

'He _did_ want to come,' she said insistently. 'He _really_ wanted to. But he was just kind of scared to, because of the last time you met.' She gestured vaguely with her free hand. '_You_ know.'

Adele couldn't look her in the eyes, her face hot. Harry _had_ told them. _Everything_. She didn't know whether to be pleased or absolutely furious.

'And I doubt he'll say it,' Hermione continued, 'since he's a boy and they're stupid about their feelings, but _I_ really think that your friendship helped him a great deal when he was younger.'

Her earnest expression bore into Adele, and she quickly felt ashamed. Always blaming other people for everything, always taking things at face-value. But, she thought in self defence, it would be nice if Harry ever said ANYTHING nice.

'I guess I'm not angry,' she said in a small voice. '…Not with Harry, anyway. I'm sort of quite mad at myself. For letting him slip through my fingers, and then acting as if it was his fault. And blaming Ginny, too.'

'Ginny?' Hermione asked, her tone surprised? 'Why would you…' she trailed off suddenly, and squeaked a laugh. '_OH!_'

Even more confused than before, Adele waited impatiently for Hermione to stop laughing. 'What is it?' she said hurriedly. 'What's funny?'

Hermione released Adele's arm, grabbing at her hands instead. 'Harry and Ginny aren't together. They haven't been for a long time.'

'What?' Adele gasped, clutching at Hermione's sleeves. 'Really? Why not?'

Hermione looked at her mischievously, her cheeks turning pink. 'No idea,' she said, her eyes twinkling. 'All he ever said was that he had someone else in mind.'

'_Who_?!' Adele demanded, grabbing Hermione's collar and almost shaking the girl. '_WHO?!_'

'What are you two doing?'

Harry was glancing from Hermione to Adele, an eyebrow raised above his glasses. Embarrassed, Adele quickly let go of Hermione's shirt, causing her to almost fall over.

'What's that? I think Ron's calling me,' Hermione said breathlessly. 'I'll see you later!'

Harry stared after her, before turning back to examine Adele's flushed face. 'Don't tell me you picked a fight with Hermione, too?' he snorted.

'Of course I didn't,' Adele snapped hotly. 'She was just… withholding information.'

'Oh?' Harry asked as they began to walk towards the others. 'What kind of information?'

'…Just about… stuff…' Adele said vaguely. 'Muggle banking schemes. Really boring stuff.'

'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah.'

'…You know I was standing right there, don't you?'

Adele swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. 'Oh yeah?' she squeaked.

Harry grinned at her, watching her face as she avoided looking at him. 'Yeah.'

'Oops,' she whispered.

Embarrassed, Adele happily welcomed the silence that descended on the pair. She was wrapped up in thoughts now, taking in all that Hermione had said.

He had someone else in mind. Logic denoted that it would be someone else from school, or someone else in his friendship circle. Adele tried to remember if he had ever mentioned any other girls. There was one… Cho Chang? Could it be her?

And yet… Hermione's tone had been very teasing, and a little… suggestive. Was she trying to say that..? Could it be that Harry..? Adele groaned aloud – too confusing. It was all very mixed up. She hated mixed up things.

Which was why she was always very straightforward. No mincing words, no pretending to like someone she hated. Always upfront and honest, in that regard. And so, very decided, she set her face into a concentrated scowl, and reached out to take Harry's hand.

He didn't react at first, apart from glancing at the top of her head. But then he gave her fingers a very gentle squeeze.

'…Harry,' she said after a moment of silence. She stopped walking, watching their conjoined hands.

'Yes?' he replied, his voice even. She risked a glance up, and regretted it when she found him looking directly back at her. It occurred to her that she had never seen Harry in the winter-time. Always in summer. So she had never noticed what a stark and beautiful contrast his hair made with the white of the snow, or how alive his eyes looked when the cold tinged his cheeks pink.

'…What about Cho Chang?' she asked in a very small voice.

'What about her?'

'She's not..?'

'Not at all.'

'And Ginny?'

'Nope.'

'…Am I still your sister?'

'I don't think so.'

'…And I'm not thirteen anymore.'

'No you're not.'

Adele's voice caught – confusion and disbelief had left her dumbfounded. Harry resisted the urge to laugh, guessing correctly that that'd just make her angry again.

'We're all staying at Ron's for a while,' Harry said when she didn't seem able to continue. 'I think everyone would like it if you'd stay, too. Hermione certainly would like to get to know you.'

Adele scowled at him. 'Oh, well, if _Hermione_ wants me to come.'

Harry laughed, squeezing her hand again. 'I suppose I do too.'

'You do?' she asked in a whisper. He nodded, expression serious.

'Sure. I'd like to get to know this grown-up Adele.' He paused, the grin creeping back onto his face. 'Though she seems just as bad tempered as the old Adele.'

Adele glared at him, but she couldn't keep the grin off of her face for long. 'I think I'll accept the invitation,' she said after a moment. 'Mum's been trying to get me out of the house for ages, and I've always wanted to stay at the Burrow anyway.'

'Really?' Harry said, his voice dripping sarcasm. 'I truly had _never_ noticed.'

Adele punched his shoulder, blushing. 'Shut up,' she laughed. 'Seriously! Don't bring any of that up!'

'But you were _so_ eager,' he laughed. ' "Harry, please take me with you-" '

'Stop it!' Adele begged, grabbing at his coat. 'Doon't!'

' "I don't need to go any way, _my_ father owns Gringotts-" '

'_Please_-'

' "And every school year they get me to train the dragons-" '

'I never said _that_-'

' "And my uncle is Voldemort's half-brother so-" '

'_HARRY_!'

He subsided into laughter, unable to keep a straight face any longer. 'Okay, okay,' he chuckled, prising her hands off his collar. 'I'll stop… for now.'

But when they began to walk, he took her hand into his again. Adele barely suppressed a delighted giggle, holding his hand in both of hers.

-

Oh, a miracle, it surely had to be.

-

THE END

-

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Oh gosh, I actually got this chapter out when I meant to BD Homework is a great source of procrastination time.

Um, that's it! The end! An extremely sappy end, but I'm a fan of happy endings. Huuuge fan.

I re-read the story before posting this (I do it rarely, because I remember it too easily cx ). I must say, it was a lot more boring than I thought at the time I was writing it. Either way, I've really enjoyed creating it, and (it seems, if the reviews say anything) that there have been a bunch of people who enjoyed reading it. whichmakesmehappythankyou

So thank you very much, for reading, and also to all those who subscribed and favourited. I wish I had the time to thank you all individually, but (to my surprise!) there have been a LOT of people! I still reply to every review c:

Thank you again. It really pleases me to have others enjoy something I've written. If you're interested to see some pictures, there are a couple on my deviantart, and more coming. (My username is Ecmm over there, fancy that)

It's been so fun writing Adele that I'm kind of sorry that I'll have to stop. But, I have original stories to work on, so unfortunately I must. (Oh yeah, and school too c; )

Thank you every one!

- Ecm


	9. One Shot 1

Before I begin, I'd like to ask if anyone noticed my subtle joke in the title. HP, AP, right? HAHA. Destined to be, from the start :3

Okay. Quite a few people mentioned they'd be interested in sequels, which I was reluctant to embark on because… well, to me the story's over cx BUT! Then the subject of OneShots was brought up, and I just couldn't resist. So, this is the first in – hopefully – a couple of OneShots for our favourite noodle-head girl BD

---

**To set the scene: We've gone back a few years. Adele is fifteen years old. It's been two years since she's seen Harry Potter, but she's kind of come to terms with that and moved on a bit, though of course it still bugs her. She's still attending high school, but at the moment it is mid-way through the summer holidays. Enter Adele Polkiss.**

_**A Mirror Acquaintance**_

Voices floated up the stairs, down the corridor and into the Last Bedroom. Two ears strained to hear what was being said, counting the number of voices present. Four. Four was the correct number.

The epitome of silence, Adele Polkiss crept away from the door, bare feet making no sound on the soft carpet. She drew aside the curtains carefully, revealing her open window, the fly-wire carefully popped out and leaning against the outer wall.

The air outside was hot and still, but Adele still managed to get out the window without making a sound. She reached back into her room, pulling a satchel with her. It was packed to bursting with clothes and other assortments, including the tell-tale bulge of a blue-and-yellow wand.

Peering over the edge of the roof, she confirmed that her family and The Guest were in the sitting room before creeping over to the opposite edge of the house. She let herself down gently, bare feet landing on the summer-dried grass.

Only once she was down the street did she stop. The road forked left and right and she couldn't make up her mind which one led to a train station. In the end she chose right, as it was also the direction she used to take most often when she visited Harry.

She winced slightly. _Harry_.

Her expression settling into one of determination, Adele set off again. She had no doubt that if any of the neighbours saw her they would correctly guess that she was running away from home, (admittedly not for the first time) so she wanted to put as much distance between herself and the house as she could. For a second she faltered, her mind again turning to unpleasant thoughts. Leaving meant giving up hope. And what if he came, now?

Again she gritted her teeth, marching on. Putting it in the past. Besides, if she didn't go now then she'd just be sent to a boarding school. That's what her parents were talking about that very second, with the headmistress from an all-girls school. Adele wasn't supposed to know, but Piers had let it slip in one of their arguments. So when, halfway down the stairs, Adele had heard the discussion going on, she had made up her mind to get out of there.

Her feet felt like they were made of lead. She didn't want to go away.

The sun was high in the sky, on its way down, when she made it to the park. About to pass it, she paused. This place at least held good memories. Except, and she scrunched up her face when she remembered, for Lysander. She was glad she hadn't seen _him_ since then.

Deciding that she had enough time for a short detour, Adele turned into the park. She still frequented it, usually with her friends, but it still amazed her how much larger it had always seemed. Though she was tall for fifteen, she seemed to have stopped growing, which irked her as everyone else was fast catching up.

She flopped onto the ground on her stomach, ignoring the dry and itchy grass. How often had she and Harry lain here together? Not all that often, she admitted, but enough. The memories seemed to drape themselves over the world. It was annoying, really, Adele thought. She rolled into her back, sighing.

A figure was standing over her, blocking out the sun. The glare around him made it impossible to make out his exact features, but from his self-important posture, slicked back hair… there was only one person it could possibly be.

'Oh,' the voice drawled. 'I thought you were dead.'

He moved slightly, and his identity was revealed as… not Lysander, at all.

This boy was older than Adele, with platinum blonde hair slicked away from his face. Humourless grey eyes regarded her, an essence of appraisal in his gaze.

'Not dead,' was all Adele said, squinting slightly at him. His eyebrow shot up, and a sneer spread over his face.

'Of course, I'd forgotten people of your kind enjoyed rolling in the mud,' he said disdainfully. Adele, who had been quite happy to let him go on his way, changed her mind.

'If you hadn't notice,' she said, her voice level as she got to her feet, 'it's the middle of summer. I would be hard pressed to find _mud_.' His eyebrows knit together as she stepped closer, struggling to menace him when he was so much taller. 'I haven't seen you around. Just who are you?'

'And why should I tell a person such as yourself?' he scoffed, shoving his face nearer hers. To her own surprise and disgust, Adele found herself quickly withdrawing. Something about the boy was so familiar.

She exhaled heavily, flopping back onto the ground. 'Whatever,' she snapped suddenly, closing her eyes and threading her fingers together behind her head. 'Just leave me alone, whoever you are.'

A moment of stillness passed before Adele felt the boy settle down beside her. 'It's Draco.'

Laughter burst from Adele and she sat up, looking into his thin and offended face. '_Really_?' she gasped, almost with tears in her eyes. '_Draco_?'

He sat up beside her, expression furious. 'There's nothing funny about my _name_,' he snarled.

Adele tried to smother her laugh behind her hand, and eventually the boy stopped glaring daggers and lay back down, closing his eyes.

'…_Draco_,' Adele snorted behind her hand, but he chose to ignore it.

'What were you doing lying here anyway?' he asked after a moment. Adele didn't know how he managed to do it, but he made her feel obliged to answer him. Something about his tone.

'I'm running away from home,' she declared, tearing up the grass between them. His eyebrow arched, but his eyes remained closed.

'Aren't you a bit old for that kind of nonsense?'

Adele bristled. 'Don't treat me like a child!' she snapped, before gasping. For a second – just a second – she had imagined… it was almost just like before. Quickly she regained her composure, beginning to pile the torn up grass on the boy's stomach. '…Have you ever made a promise?'

Interested, Draco opened one eye, watching her. She was frowning as her pile of grass grew, obviously preoccupied with thoughts.

'Lots of promises,' he said eventually.

'Well, really important ones?' Adele pressed.

At this he paused. 'Yes,' he said eventually.

'Did you keep it?'

His brow furrowed. 'I certainly kept my side of it,' he said bad temperedly.

'Of course you did,' Adele agreed. 'Any good person would.'

'What have you done?'

Adele glared at him in outrage. 'I haven't done _anything_!' she cried. Draco raised his hands defensively, a smirk on his lips.

'Sorry, I assumed that was why you were… running away. What have your parents done, then?'

'You assume too much,' Adele said coldly. 'The promise… It was a… well, a friend.'

Draco shifted on the grass, putting his hands behind his head. 'I have no interest in hearing your stories, but feel free to speak anyway,' he said. Adele felt like kicking him in his stupid symmetrical face.

'He promised he'd come back,' Adele muttered. '…but it's been a long time. He had to fight… um, finish something, but he promised he'd come back. I had just started to think we were friends, too.'

'Was he your boyfriend?' Draco asked nonchalantly.

'Oh, no, he had someone else. Some one of his own kind, with a proper wand and everything.'

Draco looked at her, his eyes hardening. 'Wand?'

Realizing her mistake, Adele quickly laughed. 'Um, it's an expression I use. For… smart people.' He continued to stare at her, and Adele grasped for words. 'You know… 'Cause smartness is like… magic… except (a nervous laugh here) magic isn't real, of course!'

'Of course not…' Draco said, still watching her. 'Have you tried sending him a letter?'

'I don't know where he lives,' she said miserably. 'And _he_ hasn't sent me one. _And_ I don't have my own ow-' she froze, eyes wide in horror at her mistake. 'Um… Owww..! I uh, an… ant, bit my finger!' She made a big show of smacking the imaginary ant dead before sucking on the imaginary bite.

Draco's eyes narrowed considerably.

'Either way,' Adele continued, her words impeded by her mouthful of hand, 'don't you think he should have come back by now?'

Draco shrugged. 'Not if he's living his happily ever after with his wand-bearing significant other. It would depend on his character. If he was like me, for instance, very _cunning_, heralded by a snake… then obviously he would weigh up the options.' He turned his eyes on Adele, watching her closely. 'If he was more like, say, a _lion_, and had all that bravery nonsense… then I suppose there'd be no doubt he'd come running back to honour his promise.'

Her body language remained the same – miserable. 'Then why isn't he back, yet?' she moaned. Draco shrugged – she was definitely a muggle. No one could have missed the Hogwarts reference. Plus, almost all wizardfolk recognized his name, and either avoided or abused him. And she hadn't done either, yet.

'Maybe he got held up,' Draco suggested lazily. 'Or maybe he forgot.'

'Harry'd never forget me,' Adele said furiously. 'He just wouldn't.'

Draco blanched at the name, scowling all of a sudden. 'Then why _isn't_ he back?' he said.

'He said he'd come back when he defeated… defeated his problems. So maybe he just hasn't done that, yet,' she said hotly, unaware that Draco had turned the question so that she was reassuring herself. 'He's not the kind of person who forgets his promises! He isn't a snake, like _you_.'

'I think being a snake is a complement.'

'I suppose if you enjoy being cruel and evil.'

'You're really immature for your age.'

Adele stopped. 'How old do you think I am?' she asked quickly.

Draco shrugged, looking off across the park. 'I don't know, seventeen? You're tall enough. The overalls throw me, though.'

Ignoring the slight to her clothing, Adele grinned. 'Seventeen? Really? How old are you, then?'

'Nineteen.' He paused, seeming to think something over. 'You're not seventeen? Older, then? I told you, the overalls…'

'I'm fifteen,' Adele said, practically beaming. 'But do you really think I look seventeen? Harry always said I looked younger. Like a kid,' she said, feeling angry just remembering. Then she brightened, 'you're the same age as him.'

Draco's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. Was it possible there were too many coincidences?

'So you're running away because you don't want to sit around waiting for him?' he asked after a moment.

'_No_, I'm running away because of my parents.' He didn't ask any more, but Adele decided to elaborate anyway. 'Because I… I like to… pretend things. That is, I like to believe in things my parents don't. They're going to send me to a really strict school. To 'cure' me.'

He snorted. 'Religious differences.'

This time Adele _did_ kick his face.

A long silence followed as Draco waited for his nose to stop bleeding. Adele crouched a little away from him, scowling and prodding at a clump of grass. Very suddenly she straightened up, hitching her bag over her shoulder.

'I'd better get home before they notice I've gone,' she declared, scowling down at the blonde-haired boy. '…even if they're going to send me away either way.'

'Just tell them you won't go,' Draco drawled, sitting up. 'And if they try to make you, THEN run away.'

Adele grinned at him. 'I guess that's a better idea.'

He stood this time, and cocked his head at her. 'Do you have a place to go to?'

Already walking away, Adele turned back to him. 'Well, I was going to search until I found him, but now I just think I'll go to his friend's house. Ron's or Hermione's, I don't know which. Thank you, Draco!'

He looked thoroughly shocked, and blinked hard. 'For what?'

'Helping me out,' Adele laughed. 'What's your last name? I'll send you a letter to let you know what happens.'

'…Malfoy. I'm Draco Malfoy.'

Adele grinned and gave him one last wave before finally turning on her heel. It wasn't until she'd crawled back in through her window – without anyone noticing she'd been gone – that it clicked over in her mind. It wasn't just a weird name, it was also _very familiar_.

At about the same time Draco Malfoy recalled the names of Harry Potter's two best friends, and cursed the day he'd ever wandered into Little Whinging.


	10. A Letter to my Readers

Hello everyone!

I'm aware a lot of people are still following this story in case of alerts/because they did so while it was being written. I won't be updating it again – sorry to say – but I do write and draw in my free time. I'm hoping to be putting up my novel soon, as I've written a fair bit of it. I am not sure, but if anyone would be interested in seeing any of it I'd be really happy. If you liked my writing, I guess this is your chance to see some more!

Here's a little excerpt, but it's subject to change and stuff:

_A few hours later, Flick woke again. The house was dark and a light scatter of snow fell outside her window. Her head seemed to have cleared, and she felt comfortably warm. Something had woken her, though, and she turned to look out the window._

_It stood by the front gate, the shadowy figure of a man. Towering over almost everything, half as tall as the street lamp that illuminated it, it swayed slightly in the breeze. Flick didn't feel afraid this time, and she could feel it calling her out._

_Getting up she discovered that only a small amount of dizziness remained. Unaffected, she pulled on a warm jumper that used to be her dad's before lacing up her boots. In the hall she grabbed her beanie, but left the rest of her warm gear. She'd only go out for a moment, and then she'd be back._

_Her body still felt strangely warm, and even out in the night air she felt comfortable. Closing the door quietly behind her she crunched through the snow towards the figure._

_As she drew close, the eerie sensation returned. Faltering for a moment, she was shocked to see it had no face exactly, just the impression of one. Two indents for eyes, and a little bulge for a nose, it still managed to stare at her intently. Finally coming to stand beside it, staring at it in awe, it extended its hand._

It is fantasy and stuff.

You can find me on DeviantArt as Emmichuu, and on tumblr by the same name. If you are interested! Make sure to include the double 'u's.  
I'm aware this is sort of spam, but… hopefully no one minds. If they do, feel free to take it down :x

Thanks for reading c:


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